Hotel Kabuki: San Francisco as Leg 1
November 14, 2018
NPS is on a 25 day adventure that includes San Francisco as a first stop. Loyal readers know that means Japantown, and Japantown these days means the Kabuki.
The lobby is a great place to hang out and get some work done. And the bar is pretty good to boot.
And there is now espresso on the property.
It was hazy in San Francisco every day due to the fires in California. In fact, the air quality was the worst on the planet on Thursday.
This trip we’re on the top floor (16) in 1602. The rooms are well appointed.
1602
1602 has two large windows overlooking the city
The bathroom is sizable, but the room is cold. The poor heater can’t keep up with nights that drop into the upper ’40s. That means the bathroom is chilly in the morning. Fortunately, the shower door in 1602 seals pretty well and does not let tons of cold air in. But the old sliding doors (still) need to be replaced with more modern glass that insulates better.
The shower is a room of its own with two shower heads and a large bench.
Bathroom accoutrements
Of course, San Francisco is a great place to visit when it comes to food and beverages. A cocktail or two at PCH is highly recommended, especially if your friend Jacques Bezuidenhout shows up with time to spare on his visa and a bottle of Amer Picon. Much fun was had.
Dinner at State Bird Provisions is outstanding as always. Incredible flavors put together in remarkable ways. NPS just walked right in on a Tuesday night with no reservation.
For an interesting diner-like breakfast, try out Sweet Maple.
Ramen at Iza Ramen is very good indeed.
Hard water has a top notch bourbon and rye collection (though Jack Rose in DC has it beat). Hirsch 74. Sazarac 18. Stagg 11.
The Mymy cafe is a great place for breakfast. Creative delicious options and espresso that does not suck. Recommended.
Dinner at Prarie is very good, though noisy and crowded.
Skip ABV and go straight to Churchill for a nightcap. Fewer hipsters and no bullshit at the door.
Have a wine tasting at Domaine Carneros.
It helps if you know someone who is in their club. https://twitter.com/noplasticshower/status/1063957983468474369
Four showerheads, clean air, and some warmer nights for the Hotel Kabuki. We’ll be back. Next up, New Zealand!
Buchanan Gets it Right in San Francisco
February 12, 2017
Want to be near the Pacific in a terrific city? San Francisco can do that for you.
This visit included a bug free stay at the Buchanan Hotel in Japantown where Emily G and her excellent co-workers made us feel especially welcome. Here’s how.
First, the giant tetris game that is specific hotel room request came out in our favor and we secured 416 (the best room in the property with lots of windows and a great bathroom).
Yellow roses
Second, yellow roses!
Third, a mystery gift…
What’s in the bag?
Sleepytime tea, honey, and some pottery mugs. Just like home.
Arrival was delightful.
416 and roses
Notes, sparking water, cheese and fruit. All good. Plus tea!
416 has a spacious bathroom with a glass shower. No plastic showers!!
The glass shower cube
A little rain never hurt anything. Especially in drought stricken California. The fact that the weather was perfect for the weekend was, well, perfect.
Rainy day Japantown
With the expert help of Jacob, Saturday’s itenerary was outstanding.
Brunch at Foreign Cinema was first. We used the show up at 10:45 and walk right in at 11 hack.
Foreign Cinema brunch
Followed by a quick last minute stint at the Farmer’s Market
Saturday morning market
And a trip to Lands End.
Land’s End
Who’s that?
Cocktail hour was spent at the always fantastic Smuggler’s Cove for tiki, rum, and conversation. A meeting of the secret book club was held.
Smuggler’s Cove is one of the best bars in the world
Dinner was at The Progress. Super fantastic, rollicking fun time. And the food was good too!
Sunday should start with a great brunch, say at the Hillside Supper Club.
And then a trip to Napa on a gorgeous day! Domaine Carneros is a great target, especially if you have club privileges.
One of my favorite wines in the world is Old Hill from Ravenswood.
Pizza evening (due to a 2 hour wait at the sushi place we targetted) was followed by a visit to the delightful Churchhill bar. This is a low key almost dive like neighborhood place with an outstanding collection of serious booze.
In other San Francisco fun NPS gladly notes the following establishments:
lunch (every day) at cafe claude
ramen in Japantown at Waraku
fun and games with superb cocktails at Forgery
world class brunch at Plow
jacques incredible cocktails in a relaxed and gorgeous room at Wildhawk
outstanding food at rich table
About which these twitterz:
Thursday madness was particularly fun this iteration.
Five showerheads with a wink and a nod for the Buchanan where everything went as planned.
Colorful and classy at the Gray Chicago
October 11, 2016
NPS was in a bad mood because United improperly rejiggered seating into economy from economy plus (how do people stand that kind of travel?) and then an Uber driver pulled a super flaky move doing a multi-client pickup dropoff scam. So a taxi it was into Chicago in heavy stop and go traffic.
Fortunately the Gray fixed everything instantly. Alexsis and Happy greeted us at the front desk so cheerfully we knew we were in the midwest. The Gray, being a Kimpton, was alerted to NPS arrival and had already plussed us up into a fantastic suite. (Thanks Nabil Moubayed! You rock.)
1113 is new, modern, spacious, and excellent.
Amenity including a “Come Sail Away” from Volume 39
Living area
1113 bedroom
The shower is not plastic in the least. World class.
Awesome shower (with tub inside and bench)
After dropping off stuff it was down to Volume 39 where Barman Bob (no, not that one) created a bastardized (but very delicious Liberal before we headed out for some pie.
Volume 39
Volume 39 is a welcome addition to Kimpton’s excellent bar program. Mr Ryan, well done!
Then it was off to some pie. Call ahead and see whether it matters!
Best burned cheese deep dish in town
By 9pm it was cocktail time. We headed over to Barrelhouse Flat for some excellent drinks. Fernet backbar shots, amaro tastings, general merriment. The George T Stagg was definitely a bad idea though
Barelhouse Flat
We did finally have some of the hyped up Plantation Overproof Rum. It is a good product, but frankly the over the top hype built it up too much. Solid. Drinkable. But not the gods’ gift to rum salvation.
And then it was back to the Gray past last call. The Come Sail Away came in very handy.
Five showerheads and best of wishes to the brand new and utterly fabulous Gray.
Oh and guess what, United upgraded us on the flight home. Woo hoo!
Bread Ovens, Hard Labor and Liquor in Ann Arbor
May 17, 2016
Perhaps this is a trend. Hopefully not! Anyway, NPS finds itself in another city not staying in a hotel. What?! The reason this time has to do with the rather appalling state of hotels in Ann Arbor. For example, these hotels.
There is still plenty of information that NPS readers can benefit from WRT Ann Arbor. So here it is.
First of all, there seems to be some kind of underground bread oven thing going on.
Bread oven
And, not following the Mason-derived construction rules can lead to hard labor.
For a supremely good brunch (especially on a Sunday) try either location of Cafe Zola.
Excellent Cuban food can be found at Frita Batidos.
Finally, there are some reasonable cocktails to be had at Mash.
The Ravens Club has an outstanding bourbon and rye collection, including George T Stagg, Hirsch 74, and Thomas Handy.
Ravens Club bar
Though dinner at Logan was truly outstanding in all respects (fantastic food, super bar, very good wine list, top notch service), we were left with a sour taste in our mouth when one of the owners (there are three) stopped the bar from providing us a recipe for a cocktail before heading out the door. Fuck that. In our view here at NPS, keeping recipes and techniques secret is the domain of children and assholes. Don’t be one.
Logan’s cute little bar
The attempt failed.
Here’s how to make a None More Black
1.5 oz black sesame infused blackstrap Cruzan rum
.75 oz cocchi americano apertivo
.5 oz root
Stir down, strain into coupe, express orange peel and balance.
The Last Word on a Tuesday
At the quasi-underground Last Word, we had a Last word (it was almost chartreuse day) (of course) and proceeded with a Rye and Bourbon lesson using the antique collection 2015 offerings. The Last Word is a great place to drink.
A Last Word at the Last Word
When visiting Ann Arbor, make sure not to be sentenced to three or more years of hard labor building a bread oven.
