The Enlightened Traveler: When In Tel Aviv, Do as The Tel Avivim Do

The dynamic residents of Israel's bustling second largest city know how to live.

On every block, in every Tel Aviv neighborhood you'll find a cozy cafe, chic wine bar, funky coffee joint, tantalizing ethnic eatery, or world-class restaurant. Enthusiastic diners spill out onto sidewalks where they perch at tables and carry on until two or three in the morning, even on weekdays.

It's hard not to fall in love with a city whose population derives so much pleasure from good food and lively conversation.

Modern Tel Aviv has stunning beaches and charming
neighborhoods, if you know where to look

("Lively" is an understatement. The Tel Avivim don't converse, they debate – about everything from politics to who makes the best pizza. Or as the old joke goes, "Four Israelis, five opinions!")

Tourists congregate mostly at the large, graceless chain hotels that hug the city's shimmering Mediterranean shoreline; along Dizengoff Street, its hit-or-miss main shopping boulevard; or at the bars and restaurants of the renovated, crowded Old Port.

While its  beaches are fabulous, Tel Aviv isn't really a resort destination. Nor do you go there to shop.

Much has been written in the last few years about Neve Tzedek, one of the earliest Jewish neighborhoods dating from the last quarter of the 19th Century. It was neglected until the 1980s when gentrification and preservation efforts brought boutiques, wine bars, and restaurants.

Today it is one of the city's most fashionable and expensive districts, frequented late into the night by tourists and locals alike. Particularly notable: The Suzanne Dellal Centre for Dance, home to two of the country's leading troupes, Inbal and Batsheva.

While Neve Tzedek remains a popular entertainment quarter, savvy locals often head in the other direction at night toward the less well known Ibn Gvirol Street, home to some of the city's hottest and most interesting eateries.

Elba: new addition to Ibn Gvirol's many restaurants

The municipal government upgraded and refreshed this modern, wide boulevard a few years ago. Its arcaded buildings provide shelter for a stroll on a rainy or stifling day. Tel Avivim flock here because they know that there's something for everyone to enjoy on Ibn Gvirol.

Elba (at No. 36) is a sophisticated, pricey wine bar that opened to great anticipation a few months ago. It's minimalist interior would look right at home in New York or London.

Ha Miznon: modern twist on a pita joint

Chef Yair Yosefi was born in Tel Aviv, cooked in Paris (at Le Grand Vefour and Lasserre) for ten years, and returned to start Elba. Yosefi is offering new interpretations of Israeli, French, and Mediterranean dishes, including a signature slow roasted chicken that undergoes a 48-hour preparation and cooking process.

At the opposite end of the scale sits Ha Miznon, a tiny street food joint serving up fluffy, warm pitas filled with a remarkably delicious assortment of unlikely ingredients: short ribs, chicken livers, and shrimp plus house-made tahini sauce, pickles, peppers, and other condiments.

Another specialty is a whole cauliflower, unhurriedly roasted to delicious, tender perfection.

Eyal Shani, who previously ran several noteworthy high-end restaurants, is the talented chef behind this very affordable, locally popular establishment.

The scene is so casual and the food so original and tasty that you will want to come back again before you leave Tel Aviv.

Ha Miznon is at No. 23 Ibn Gvirol. The sign is in Hebrew only, so ask to make sure you're at the right place.

We'll have more on the many pleasures to be found on trendy Ibn Gvirol plus hotel recommendations and additional Tel Aviv travel tips in a subsequent post.

Living to Eat: The World's 50 Best Restaurants

So you think you know restaurants?

You've dined your way through the finest that New York and Napa have to offer. You know what soft openings are because you get invited to them. When a hot new place comes to town, you get a table at 8:00 pm. (This sentence, "We only have 6pm or 10pm," doesn't exist in your world.)

Maven that you are, you'll recognize many of your favorites on The San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants of 2011 list.

Or will you?

The annual awards have just been published in Britain's Restaurant magazine, a co-sponsor along with San Pellegrino.

Noma's squid legs with potatoes, mayonnaise, brown butter

Topping the list this year is Denmark's Noma for a second year in a row and succeeding El Bulli, the 2006-09 winner. Even if you haven't been there yet, you might have heard of it. It's been getting a lot of media attention lately, especially from the British press.

Chef Rene Redzepi uses only seasonal, locally foraged ingredients – nothing imported, including olive oil. Some of his creations: beef tartare with a tarragon emulsion and wood sorrel; fresh cheese with axel berry shoots and watercress; and radishes in edible soil.

Restaurant magazine says that dining at Noma is an "emotive, intense, liberating way of eating." (Affective writing like that just makes you want to drop everything and jump on the next flight to Copenhagen, doesn't it?)

D.O.M., Sao Paulo, Brazil

You also might know The Fat Duck and The Ledbury in Britain, Pierre Gagnaire and Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athenee in France, and Le Bernardin, Per Se, Daniel, and Momofuku Ssam Bar in New York. (Although we cannot recall Momofuku, while popular, making anyone else's best restaurant pantheon).

From here, the road moves into unfamiliar territory, at least for a lot of Americans.

Not many will have heard of the modernists Mugaritz and El Celler de Can Roca, two of the five Spanish restaurants on the list. Or Le Quartier Francais in South Africa, Chez Dominique in Finland, or Amber in Hong Kong?

And then there's Biko in Mexico, Iggy's in Singapore, Astrid y Gaston in Peru, De Librije in Holland, or Steirereck in Austria.

Chocolate nougat at Vienna's Steirereck

They were chosen by an international academy of some 800 chefs, restaurateurs, food and restaurant journalists and gourmands representing 27 geographic regions around the globe. Sounds impressive, but, apart from Mark Bittman, Wolfgang Puck, and Charlie Palmer, it's unlikely you'll recognize many of the members. Doubtless you will be familiar with the group's sponsor, Electrolux, famous in Europe for making high-end, high-design stoves, refrigerators and appliances – and in the U.S. mainly for producing vacuum cleaners.

Some journalists have called into question the group's choices and methodology. The list is not universally accepted as definitive.

Still, it's not necessary to approve of every establishment on the World's 50 Best Restaurants to enjoy the thought of dining at every one of them.

If you decide to try it, just make sure you have an understanding spouse, an ample supply of Pepto Bismol and a few million frequent flyer miles.

Life's Little Luxuries: C'est Cheese!

National Grilled Cheese Month starts today.

With news of such staggering proportions, we're temped to shout, "Hold the panini presses!" But we will resist.

Au contraire, we take our melted cheese seriously, and so we reprint our blog post commemorating National Grilled Cheese Month of 2009:

We offer some fabulous grilled cheese recipes from Bobby Flay and others.

Here's Bobby's Grilled Brie and Goat Cheese with Bacon and Green Tomato.

Our favorite TV chef Tyler Florence serves up a great Grilled Cheese with Apple and Bacon.

Alton Brown demonstrates how to make his version in this short video.

From Bon Appetit magazine, here's a yummy Grilled Ham And Gouda Sandwich with Frisee and Caramelized Onions (shown here).

And just for fun you can't beat that childhood favorite, the Velveeta Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

The Enlightened Traveler: This is London

The first in a series of reports over the next few weeks
on what's new and noteworthy in London.

Just when you thought that you had to drop everything and head straight for Dubai, Shanghai, or Berlin – or risk compromising your "I've been everywhere cool and you haven't" status – along comes no-nonsense London with a few surprises of its own.

Not to be outdone by upstarts, the British capitol is on the ascendant. Or should we say, London continues to rise, perennially reinventing itself in ways that underscore its rank as one of the planet's favored destinations.

The hottest table in town for some time to come is Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. Opened a fortnight ago, it is the latest conceit from the brilliant, experimental chef who brought modern British cooking to the forefront at his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, The Fat Duck.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal's dining room

This time around Blumenthal has dipped into Britain's culinary past for inspiration. He reportedly spent 18 months researching recipes that go as far back as the 1300s. Of course, he doesn't just recreate them for modern diners. What fun would that be? He has reworked them into a menu of "perplexing unfamiliarity," one that is a "startlingly original read," according to one newspaper critic.

Meat fruit

Hmmm?

His signature Meat Fruit (c. 1500) consists of chicken livers whipped into a mousse, formed into the shape of an orange, and covered with mandarin jelly. There's also the quaintly named Rice and Flesh (c.1390) which rests braised calf tail on a bed of saffron rice, and Ragoo of Pigs Ears (c.1750) with anchovies, onions and parsley.

And those are just the starters!

The main courses sound tame by comparison. Sirloin of Black Angus (c.1830) comes with mushroom ketchup, red wine juice and triple cooked chips. There's also a Spiced Pigeon (c.1780) with ale and artichokes, Cod in Cider (c. 1940), and Beef Royal (c.1720). This last is a short rib of angus cooked for 72 hours sous vide, the vacuum sealed water submersion method Blumenthal pioneered. (Intensifies the flavors but diminishes the texture, according to those who know a thing or two about food.)

At least some of London's food critics have worked themselves into an unabashed frenzy of adulation.

"If there has been a more flawless and exhilarating restaurant opening in the past decade, I missed it," gushed Matthew Norman in The Telegraph.

Others are offering a more restrained view. The Daily Mail labeled Blumenthal’s "interpretation" of traditional British food "a brilliant and original concept," then opined, "Yet eating at his new restaurant remains an interesting experience, rather than a delicious one."

Time Out's Guy Dimond was only moderately impressed. The restaurant is just "another smart, five-star-hotel restaurant, not the culinary equivalent of the Second Coming." Apparently he didn't ask the patrons who have to wait until June to get in or the guy who already has auctioned off his booking on eBay.

You'll find Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge. The airy dining room overlooks Hyde Park. Service is professional and friendly, not stuffy.

Finally, it's not cheap. Although by London standards it's not exactly exorbitant either. Check how your stocks are doing to see where you stand on the issue. Or go for the set lunch at a reasonable £28 – if you can get a reservation.

Want to know more? Here are a few recent reviews and articles from British publications: The Telegraph, The Independent, The Daily Mail.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is at 66 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LA, tel. +44 (0)20 7201 3833, www.dinnerbyheston.com.

Click here to read our other articles on London.

The Enlightened Traveler: New York Is Now The Meatball Capital

There's a store for everything in New York. Add meatballs to the list of Manhattan's specialty outlets.

The Meatball Shop will open on Wednesday in the Lower East Side, reports today's New York Times.

Choose from beef and spicy pork as well as chicken, vegetable, salmon and a weekly special. Sauce, cheese, starchy accompaniments and some vegetables round out the menu.

For dessert? Housemade ice cream squashed between freshly-baked cookies.

Prices start at about $3. Take the F train to Delancey Street, then take a number!

The Meatball Shop, 84 Stanton Street (Allen Street just below Houston), (212) 982-8895

You can make your own delicious meatballs at home.

Use a combination of meats, fresh (not dried) breadcrumbs, and don't overmix or handle the meat too much.

For a spicy twist, try Spaghetti and Meatballs All'Amatriciana, the cover recipe from the January 2010 issue of Bon Appetit magazine.

Photo of meatballs: New York Magazine

One Historic Hollywood Restaurant Thrives. A New York Counterpart Quitely Fades Away

Los Angeles restaurants, even famous ones, come and go. The Brown Derby, Chasen’s, Mike Lyman’s, the Seven Seas, Fog Cutter, the Cock and Bull, Scandia, Nickodell’s, Perino's, Romanoff's – all were popular in their day and now are long gone.

We're still crazy about Musso & Frank after all these years

Not so for Musso & Frank Grill, a favored hangout for several generations of Hollywood power brokers and celebs. The fabled eatery, opened in 1919, is undergoing something of a regeneration, reports the Los Angeles Times.

While far short of a thorough overhaul, the changes include extended bar hours until 2:00AM on Friday and Saturday and an upgraded wine list.

In October, Jordan M. Jones, 29, a fourth-generation descendant of one of the early owners, assumed full control of the restaurant.

"All over nowadays you see new places trying to re-create history," Jones told the Times.

"They try to make them look old because that's something everybody appreciates and loves, even the younger generation. Vintage is cool. All these places are trying to re-create it, and we don't have to. We have it right here."

Charlie Chaplin, Rudolf Valentino, Raymond Chandler, F. Scott Fitzgerald and countless others routinely dined at Musso's.

Indeed, today's regulars, who include Johnny Depp and Keith Richards, don't want to see too many improvements made.

The restaurant interior – dark wooden booths with red upholstery – has remained largely untouched for nine decades. So has the menu. Let's hope they never do away with the flannel cakes, chiffonade salad, or roast beef hash.

We expect Musso to thrive another 90 years.

Sadly, the same cannot be said for New York's romantic Cafe des Artistes, which closed without fanfare in August.

It was an elegant hideaway for generations of musicians, Broadway performers, cabaret artists, and socialites.

“If ever a restaurant had fine, aristocratic bone structure it is Café des Artistes,” William Grimes wrote in a review of the restaurant for The New York Times in 2003.

Gone after 92 years!

“Diners have only to take one step inside, and the tumultuous New York world outside disappears in a flash, replaced by lush floral displays, flattering lighting and Howard Chandler Christy’s pastel murals of naked beauties prancing through romantic landscapes.”

The restaurant opened in 1917. Christy, one of the artists who lived in the apartment building above, the Hotel des Artistes, began painting the murals in 1934.

George Lang took over the W. 67th St. establishment in 1975. Now 85, he quietly decided not to reopen after his summer vacation.

The fate of the historic premises and famed murals is unknown.

Cafe des Artistes' website is still online, offering menus, history and photos. Musso and Frank Grill's website also provides a history through the decades. Click here to read the full report on Musso and Frank Grill in the Los Angeles Times.

The Enlightened Traveler: Where The Locals Dine In New Orleans

Here’s a secret we’ve learned from our many visits to the Crescent City over the past 25 years: the shabbier the restaurant looks on the outside, the greater the likelihood that the food is fantastic – and cheap.

Thus, we were pleased to read that Indiana Colts star quarterback Peyton Manning recommended two of our favorite New Orleans eateries in the September issue of Esquire.

In New Orleans, the worse it looks, the better the food. As for Domilise's shrimp po' boy, brace yourself!

They are in the Uptown neighborhood and mostly patronized by locals, the folks who rarely venture into the French Quarter.

Neither Domilise’s or Camellia Grill is what you’d call a restaurant. “Joint” is more like it, especially in the case of Domilise’s, which from the outside looks as if it might be closed. The interior isn’t going to win any design awards either. But, the service is friendly and the po’ boys are outstanding. The true taste of New Orleans in every bite.

Camellia Grill's burger: all "dressed up" plus bacon and cheese

Compared to Domilise’s, Camellia Grill is posh. Still, it’s just a counter, a few booths, and often long lines outside, unless you go late at night. (If you go after a Saints game, be prepared to wait!)

No po’ boys here, but they do offer great beans and rice for Sunday supper. Their hamburger is what most people want. Ask for it “dressed,” the New Orleans equivalent of lettuce, tomato, pickle and ketchup.

Another favorite of ours is the better known Mother’s in the Central Business District. We prefer their Jambalaya to the version at The Gumbo Shop (take out only at their Uptown kitchen; eat in at their French Quarter cafe).

Mother’s will “cold pack” a gallon of Jambalaya so you can take it back on the airplane as your carry-on. This won’t seem as crazy as it sounds once you’re home and tucking in to a brimming bowlful a few nights later. (Freeze the rest in serving portions and enjoy sparingly until you return to New Orleans.)

We especially like Mother’s debris sandwich. It’s a French Dip affair made with the small leftover end pieces of the roast beef, the debris, that have been sitting in the juice for a while. Do not leave Louisiana without having sampled one.

More on where to dine in New Orleans, Uptown and elsewhere, in future postings.

Domilise’s, 5240 Annunciation St., (504) 899-9126 (take a taxi)
Camellia Grill, 626 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 861-9311 (on the streetcar line)
Mother’s, 401 Poydras St., (443) 408-6004 (walking distance from the Quarter)

Photos: Domilise’s – Eating in Translation, shrimp po’ boy – hollyeats.com, Camellia Grill hamburger – David Adams, Camellia Grill – Nola-Shiva

The Enlightened Traveler: New York's Best Bakeries

We're crazy about good bread and cookies – not necessarily in that order.

Over the years, we've sampled our way through loaves and tempting treats of all kinds from San Francisco to San Juan.* No place in North America has more fine bakeries than New York City.

Mitchel London cupcake: not fancy, just fabulous!

We're fond of the deservedly famous cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery, whose Upper Westside location opened earlier this year with, sadly, the same long lines as the original downtown bakery.

Don't feel like waiting? Mitchel London's chocolate fudge cupcakes are equally sublime.

Pick them up at his cafe on East 65th or at Fairway Market on Broadway and 74th, open until 10:00pm.

The hands-down-best-we-ever-tasted almond croissant at the recently closed Payard Patisserie on Lexington Ave. is another passion. Happily this flaky, crunchy marzipan-filled wonder is still available at the Payard Bistro at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. It's hard to imagine a better use of $4.

So many NY bakeries, so little time!

Here are our top Manhattan baked goods. These are the ones we bring Zip-Loc bags for.

Citarella Pecan-Cranberry Bread

Citarella has a bakery. Who Knew?

Long Famous for its fish and meat selections, Citarella, at Broadway and 75th, also has a swell bakery on the premises. We always bring a couple of loaves of the dome-shaped pecan-cranberry loaf (sliced thin) back home with us. Toast it lightly. Enjoy with a smear of sweet whipped butter and a cup of tea or coffee.

Citarella also has locations on the Upper Eastside, in the Village, and in the Hamptons.

Amy's Semolina With Golden Raisins and Fennel Bread

This is the loaf that started it all for Amy's, one of the first artisanal bakeries in New York when it opened way back in 1992. We've never been able to get enough of it. Consume the same as with the pecan-cranberry bread. It's also good with a little strawberry or raspberry jam and complements blue cheese nicely. Both this and the Citarella loaf freeze very well.

You'll find Amy's on Ninth Ave. (between 46th and 47th), in the Chelsea Market, and in the Village on Bleecker St. The semolina loaf is also sold at Fairway Market on Broadway and 74th, a block from Citarella. (Why schlep?)

Levain Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie

A legion of New Yorkers swear that Levain Bakery's chocolate chip walnut cookie is the best around. We agree, although we think that their chocolate chocolate chip cookie is just as delicious.

Levain cookie: not to size, it's bigger!

The first thing that sets Levain's cookies apart from all others is their size. They're huge, about the size of a squashed softball or an engorged hockey puck. They're chewey and rich.

The chocolate chocolate chip is prepared with an extra dark French cocoa and semisweet chocolate chips. They come out of the oven with molten layers of chocolate swirling together. Trust us when we tell you that one of these babies will feed two ravenous adults. (Allow one per person if you skip dinner altogether.)

At $4 each, you could get a whole box of store-bought cookies for the same money. But, honestly, why would you want to?

Levain is on West 74th St. between Amsterdam and Columbus.

*In San Juan, Puerto Rico, we recommend the mallorca con mantequilla (a round, flat pastry dusted with confectioner’s sugar and served with butter) and a strong cup of coffee at La Bombonera.

Gordon Ramsay Finds Himself in the Soup

Does Gordon Ramsay have his fingers in too many pies? As the recession lingers, the super chef has discovered that running a far-flung network of pricey eateries is no piece of cake.

Attendance is down at Ramsay's 20 restaurants across Europe, North America, and Japan, causing him to breach the terms of a $15.7 million bank loan. The celebrity chef is being forced to restructure his global empire, shuttering his Prague location and reducing his 1,200 person staff by 15%.

He is closing some of his restaurants at slower times of the week and is using less expensive cuts of meat, according to an article in the Wall St. Journal. Costly out-of-season ingredients no longer have a place on his menus.

Reasons for the decline are several. Corporate expense accounts have been slashed, and diners are ordering fewer high priced bottles of wine, where the fattest profits are.

Another reason for the drop in patronage may have nothing to do with the souring economy. With so many restaurants, Ramsay isn't cooking in any of them very often. Diners who pay several hundred dollars per head may be reluctant to do so when the star chef is not in the kitchen.

It's a good bet that the tough Scot can withstand the heat. Yes, he sold his silver 430 Scuderia Ferrari. But he still earns an estimated $16 million per year for his TV shows ("Hell's Kitchen" and "Kitchen Nightmares"), as well as from publishing and endorsements.

That's a lot of bread, even in a stale economy.

You'll find the full text of the Journal article here.

The Enlightened Traveler: The Best Burger in San Diego or Pretty Much Anywhere Else

After spending the month of July cleaning out and moving our offices (same address, just a different part of the building) we were eager to escape to La Jolla for a few relaxing days with our friends Nancy and Andy.

On a lazy Monday, we strolled into town to lunch at Burger Lounge, which had been commended to us recently. We cannot recall who told us about the place; all we could remember was the name.

And a good thing, too, because the burgers are among the most agreeable we have ever tasted.

The concept behind Burger Lounge is simple. The owners, Dean and Mike, use only all natural grass-fed beef from Kansas.

This produces a juicy, tender, mouthwatering burger. There also are a host of health (no hormones or antibiotics) and environmental benefits, which are enumerated on the restaurant's website.

Patties are topped with iceberg lettuce, tomato, house-made 1,000 island dressing, fresh onion and white cheddar or American cheese. Everything rests delicately on a signature home-style bun. Ask for grilled onions, which provide an additional layer of flavor.

Grilled turkey burgers (also fabulous) and veggie burgers are are on the menu, too, along with fresh-cut fries, thick shakes, and made-on-the-premises Red Velvet or cream-filled chocolate cupcakes that are every bit as rich and toothsome as the ones you find at specialty bakeries.

Oh yes, and the decor, while casual, is sleek and sophisticated. In other words, Burger Lounge is seriously not a greasy spoon.

Burger Lounge opened in the heart of La Jolla village two years ago and now has three other locations in the San Diego area.

If they don't open in Los Angeles soon, we might have to move south.

You'll find Burger Lounge at 1011 Wall St. (corner of Herschel Ave.), La Jolla, (858) 456-0196, and also in Coronado, Kensington, and recently gentrified Little Italy. www.burgerlounge.com

The Grill of Your Dreams

Cooking food out of doors over glowing embers is one of summer's great pleasures.

If you're more into Bauhaus than Beaux Arts, have we got a grill for you!

This lustrous all-stainless steel beauty was designed and is manufactured in Denmark. You'll admire its sleek, architectural lines while waiting for your steak to reach medium rare.

The generous 23 in. diameter cooking surface is large enough to prepare food for up to six guests.

After dinner, throw on a few logs and your barbecue becomes a welcoming hearth. (All the more inviting if you break out a bottle of vintage port or premium Scotch, along with a couple of good cigars.)

An optional dome lid is available for indirect cooking, as is a custom fitted cover that will keep the stainless steel looking good for many years.

At $1,890 there are less expensive barbecues. But if you're the kind of person who knows the difference between Philip Johnson and Don Johnson, then you gotta have this.

Special order only. Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. To make sure you get yours in time for Labor Day, call us now at (310) 581-6710.


A Sweet, Chic Alternative

If you're a design snob on a budget, the same Danish team has come up with this nifty porcelain table top grill.

It's perfect for intimate dinners on the terrace or for an impromptu picnic at the beach or park. The practical handle makes it easy to carry anywhere, everywhere.

Available in white or black. $350. Also special order only.

...And The Livin' Is Easy

We're having a nice winter here in Santa Monica this summer.

It's the end of the month, and our famous June Gloom shows no signs of letting up. If you're planning a trip our way, bring a sweater!

It's much more temperate elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere. England is enjoying 80º weather this Wimbledon week. Even Rio de Janeiro is ten degrees warmer than Santa Monica, and that's in the Southern Hemisphere.

On the proposition that it's got to be hot and sultry somewhere in the world at any given moment, we offer recipes for these fast, uncommon thirst quenchers, courtesy of hooch hotshot Derek Brown and The Atlantic's excellent food blog.


Easy Mixing: 5 Cocktails for the Lazy

I don't get the chance to be lazy too often. My workweek is frequently seven days long. Come Sunday afternoon I'm writing, preparing for an event, or responding to emails. Thankfully, I love what I do and, being that my job is what it is, I get to go out to bars and restaurants often. So it's not all that bad.

Yet the feeling of swinging in a hammock, beneath the fiery mid-day sun with an ice-cold drink sweating in the palm of my hand and the intermittent sips the only thing keeping me from melting in to a pile of flesh and bones, beckons as the summer advances. Being lazy feels good.

So while I usually caution readers to take care in crafting cocktails, this time I'm going to call for a different tact: be lazy. Below are some of my favorite drinks for the shiftless, idle and indolent. They go for simplicity and ease:

Let's start with the Cheribita. Supposedly a British invention in Spain, the Cheribita doesn't even require you to lift a full bottle. Buy a half bottle of fino sherry (dry sherry) and a bottle of orange bitters. Pour sherry over ice and add two dashes of bitters. Stir with your finger.

The Dark and Stormy is the national drink of Bermuda. The hardest part of making a Dark and Stormy is finding ginger beer. (Barritts is from Bermuda and is the ginger beer most commonly called for.) Leave off the lime and mix at two to one, ginger beer to Goslings Dark Rum. Add ice. Done.

White Port and tonic is a Portuguese favorite. Mine too. The tonic balances the sweetness of the Port and makes an easy blend at almost any ratio. Pour the Port over ice and top with tonic. Ah, summer.

The Ice Pick is genius. It mixes vodka with ice tea, so you can tell your significant other that it's just ice tea, and you'll get back to Sunday afternoon chores after a short break. Don't bother eyeing or measuring. Make a pitcher of tea. Pour vodka to taste. Avoid heavy machinery.

The Rickey is a drink you're going to hear a lot about from me. It's Washington, D.C.'s native cocktail. You can use any spirit you wish (gin is the most popular). Pour in a shot. Squeeze half of a lime and drop it in the glass. Add ice and soda. Kick back and feel the breeze.

Enjoy.

Miss Whistle, PG, and the Wayward Fax

What brand of tea is the most satisfying regardless of price? For our money, it's PG Tips.

We've been enjoying it daily for 20 years now and still prefer it to all others. The British do, too; it's the most popular tea in England. And it's not expensive at all.

We were introduced to it long ago by our English secretary, the capable, accomplished and good natured Miss Whistle. That is just one of many things for which we will ever be grateful to her.

(Another is the time she cried on the phone to a complete stranger to retrieve a fax that we mistakenly had sent to the wrong party and which would have compromised us had it fallen into unworthy hands. Of course that was the year we got our first fax machine and were unaware of the damage it could inflict–on us. What an unfortunate mess might have resulted were it not for the courageous Miss Whistle! But we digress.)

PG isn't what you call a gourmet product. Britons of all classes consume large amounts of it with regularity. We've tried more expensive teas, but none is as pleasurable or as comforting as dear old PG.

In the U.S. you'll find PG at better markets and wherever British products are sold. (A note of warning: Be sure to check the expiration date on the package for freshness.)

Here are a few pointers for making a good cup of tea:

• For a smooth, full taste start with cold filtered water
  
• Always warm the pot for a short while with some hot water; then throw it out, put your PG in the pot and refill with hot water
• The water you use should be very hot but not boiling; let it come to a full boil; turn off the heat and wait a few seconds before making tea
• Warm your cups, too, with hot water before pouring your tea
• If you take milk, as the British do, warm it in a small pan or the microwave until its scalding but do not let it boil; and never use cold milk from the fridge in your tea; that's a no no!

In case you were wondering, "tips" refers to the fact that only the tips (the top two leaves and bud) of the tea plants are used in the blend. If you must know what the "PG" part stands for, look it up on their website as it's too complicated to explain here. In any case, it's not Procter & Gamble; PG is made by Unilver.

And now, something for the kiddies:

The Enlightened Traveler: Santa Monica's Main St.

The tourists flock to the Third St. Promenade. Those of us who live in Santa Monica go elsewhere to dine and shop. Main St., for example.

We're pleased to see that the "wrong end" of the avenue (the stretch north of Ocean Park Blvd.) is getting a bit more interesting at last.

This morning we strolled over – with our cousins from Santa Barbara who were under mandatory evacuation orders due to the Jesusita fires – to the new La Grande Orange cafe and enjoyed a splendid breakfast. It was a "soft" opening (invited guests only) intended to give the kitchen and wait staff a trial run. Judging from the tasty food and friendly, efficient service, they don't need any more practice. They should just open the place and brace themselves for the hordes that will descend.
We loved their perfectly timed and presented soft-boiled eggs, wonderful muffins and other baked goods, housemade muesli, and especially their Lemon Skinny, a dinner plate sized crepe-like pancake second only to Musso & Frank's famous flannel cakes, a perennial favorite of ours.
The dining room is spacious and comfortable with a pleasant terrace on two sides. There's also a cozy wine bar featuring a small selection of Santa Barbara labels.

After your meal stop in a few doors further north at Goudas & Vines to inspect their ample array of wines and imported foods, including MarieBelle hot chocolate mix (another favorite), Ravida and other premium olive oils, and a good deal more.

As for La Grande Orange, breakfast is served from 6:30 daily. It's open for lunch and dinner till 11pm weeknights and later on the weekends. Open for business starting Tuesday, May 12.

We'll be back, and often.

La Grande Orange, 2000 Main St., Santa Monica,
(310) 396-9152

How's Your Drink?

You'll recall that a while ago we informed you that April was National Grilled Cheese Month. Even better, it turns out that in Scotland at least May is National Whisky Month.

To us, whiskey, as spelled in America, means a double shot of premium Bourbon like Blanton's, Booker's, or Rip Van Winkle (but we wouldn't complain if you serve us Jack) imbibed neat (at room temperature) in a rocks glass.To the rest of the world, whisky usually means Scotch, and that's what they're celebrating this month in Scotland, home to over 100 malt and grain distilleries.

We don't pretend to be Scotch experts; we're happy with a snort of Johnnie Walker Black Label, which has a medium body, nicely balanced smoke and caramel flavors, and a smooth finish. One Scotch we won't be trying anytime soon is $2,000 per bottle Highland Park 40 Year Old.

That's right, $2,000 per bottle, although we understand that the Highland Park 18 Year Old has a delicate, spice-accented smokiness and extended finish similar to the 40 Year Old and is only around $90 a bottle. Sounds like a bargain to us.

To learn more about National Whisky Month and see what events Scotland has planned this month and for the coming year, just click here .



A couple of shots of this could set you back $500

Didn't Get a Reservation at elBulli Again?

Situated on a remote beach on the northeast coast of Spain, elBulli is famous for being the ultimate pilgrimage site for foodies, and a reservation that is nearly impossible to obtain. Each year elBulli is open for just six months, and receives more than 2 million requests for only 8,000 seats.

A Day at elBulli: An Insight into the Ideas, Methods and Creativity of Ferran Adria reveals for the first time the creative process, innovative philosophy and extraordinary techniques of the multi-award-winning restaurant, elBulli, and its legendary head chef, Ferran Adria. Renowned for his spectacular ever-changing 30-course tasting menu, Adria's pioneering culinary techniques have been applauded - and imitated - by top chefs around the globe for the past decade.

If you weren't one of the lucky few to get in this year (reservations were booked a year in advance), you can now experience the restaurant at home and at your leisure. This generously-illustrated 600-page ''day in the life'' features over 800 photographs, menus, recipes and diagrams, and presents a guided tour through a full working day at elBulli. The book documents the activities of each hour of the day, from dawn at 6.15 am to switching off the lights at 2.00 am.

The book is both fascinating and engrossing, brimming over with seemingly endless detail and sharp insight. We highly recommend it.

Thirty dishes are highlighted, representing a full elBulli menu. Adria shows you how he creates the restaurant's innovative cuisines over his winter break at his laboratory in Barcelona. Sample recipes include Samphire Tempura with Saffron and Oyster Cream, Steamed Brioche with Rose-Scented Mozzarella, and Coulant/Souffle of Granadilla with Cardamom Toffee.

An enormous undertaking, this monumental tome, complete with more than 1,000 photographs, chronicles one day at revolutionary eatery elBulli in northern Spain, arguably one of today's most influential restaurants. Adria, the culinary genius behind this success, along with restaurant manager Soler and brother and fellow chef Albert give the reader a firsthand look at day-to-day activities and the innovation for which elBulli is known. Lavish photographs are the main attraction in this work... A glance behind the scenes at a pivotal time and place in culinary evolution, this book will delight serious foodies, and its stunning package guarantees it will grace many a coffee table.

– Publishers Weekly

Buy it now at Amazon

For more gift ideas, click right here.

The Enlightened Traveler: New York

Your Armani suit may require alterations after a visit to the maestro's new chocolate boutique.

The New York Times reports:

Armani Dolci, on the third floor of the new Giorgio Armani store on Fifth Avenue, is a boutique that sells delectable chocolates, including little bags of foil-wrapped dark and milk chocolate eggs with creamy fillings of coffee, hazelnut and gianduja (chocolate and nuts), $15 for 3.5 ounces, $30 for 10.5 ounces.

Larger eggs, emblazoned with an “A,” start at $60 for one that weighs 7.5 ounces, and go up to $145 for one that weighs 24.7 ounces. Inside is a gift, like an Armani luggage tag.

The chocolates, made in Florence, include artfully filled bonbons ($3.50 each; boxes are $5 to $125), and bags of praline-coated almonds and dragées ($15).

Preserves, honey and spreads ($25 to $30) and tea ($25) also fill the shelves of the shop, which is just outside the Armani Ristorante: 717 Fifth Avenue (56th Street), (212) 339-5950.

Cheap Thrills: What the Cubans In Miami Drink

We've been drinking delicious, strong, inexpensive Cuban-style Cafe Bustelo for years, and we're glad to see that the New York Times finally has caught on to our secret.

Here's another coffee tip: If you're going to France be sure to bring home a few vacuum packed cubes of full-bodied Carte Noir. It's a supermarket brand that sells for less than the price of your daily latte. Once you taste it, you'll want to hurry back to Paris for more.

The Enlightened Traveler: Paris

The rue Paul Bert is the latest destination for intrepid foodies and urban explorers. The FT's Simon Kuper takes us on a gastronomic tour.

April Was National Grilled Cheese Month, But It's Not Too Late to Celebrate

We offer with some fabulous grilled cheese recipes from Bobby Flay and others.

Here's Bobby's Grilled Brie and Goat Cheese with Bacon and Green Tomato.

Our favorite TV chef Tyler Florence serves up a great Grilled Cheese with Apple and Bacon.

Alton Brown demonstrates how to make his version in this short video.

From Bon Appetit magazine, here's a yummy Grilled Ham And Gouda Sandwich with Frisee and Caramelized Onions (shown here).

And just for fun you can't beat that childhood favorite, the Velveeta Grilled Cheese Sandwich.