Sunday, December 31, 2017

Best of the Best 2017

Sunday, December 31, 2017    No comments

Which are the best restaurants, spas, and travel destinations? At the end of 2017, I am rating the following (in order of best to worst) based on my personal experience.



Restaurants

Even though Michelin has not rated it, Mama's Fish House on Maui is our favorite restaurant worldwide. Mama's Fish House combines an authentic Hawaiian atmosphere with exceptional cooking and a magnificent tropical setting (overlooking Maui's North Shore, near the famous Ho'okipa Beach) to create an unforgettable dining experience using only the freshest fish caught on Maui.
  1. Mama's Fish House, Maui, Hawaii 
  2. The Plumed Horse, Saratoga, CA  (1 Michelin Star)
  3. Lagoon Restaurant by Jean Georges, St. Regis, Bora-Bora, French Polynesia 
  4. Manresa, Los Gatos, CA (3 Michelin Stars)
  5. Solbar, Calistoga, CA  (1 Michelin Star)
  6. Gary Danko, San Francisco, CA  (1 Michelin Star)
  7. Weinstube Baldreit, Baden-Baden, Germany 
  8. Plachutta, Vienna, Austria 
  9. Humuhumunukunuku'apua, Maui Hawaii 
  10. La Foret, San Jose, CA (Michelin Rated)
  11. Bouchon, Napa, CA  (Michelin Rated)
  12. Eataly, WTC, New York City (and Munich)
  13. Araxi, Whistler, BC

Dishes

Pizzeria

We have had pizza everywhere in the United States (New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, etc.), France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Netherlands, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, etc. So far, our favorite pizza restaurant is Keste Pizza in Greenwich Village and Eataly in New York City. An excellent, small pizza restaurant had the most fantastic pizza in Paris - but I cannot recall its name. I heard that the absolute world's best pizza is to be found in Naples, Italy - but I have not been there yet.
  1. Keste Pizza, Greenwich Village, New York City (Keste #1)
  2. Eataly, WTC, New York City ("Capricciosa" pizza)
  3. Juliana's Pizza, Brooklyn, New York City (#1 Special)
  4. Pizza My Heart, Los Gatos, CA (especially "Manresa" only available on Sundays)
Gelato and Ice Cream

Our favorite gelateria was in Bologna, Italy. We also tried many exceptional gelaterias in Florence, Siena, Lake Como, Venice, and Lucca.
  1. Gelato in Bologna, Italy (near Piazza Maggiore)
  2. Gelato in Florence, Siena, Lake Como, Venice, Lucca (Italy) 
  3. Bella Gelateria, Vancouver, BC 
  4. Grom, New York City (also in Florence and Siena) 
  5. Eataly, New York City (and Munich)
  6. Lappert's Ice Cream, Maui, Hawaii

Spas

Our favorite spas have been in Baden-Baden, Germany, but we've also heard of exceptional spas in Austria (which we have not tried yet).
  1. Aquadome, Langenfeld, Austria
  2. Friedrichsbad Therme, Baden-Baden, Germany 
  3. Caracalla Therme, Baden-Baden, Germany
  4. Alpentherme Gastein, Bad Hofgastein, Austria 
  5. Miri-Miri Spa by Clarens, St. Regis, Bora-Bora 
  6. Solage, Calistoga, CA 
  7. Scandinave Spa, Whistler, Canada 
  8. Tabacon, Costa Rica 
  9. Indian Springs, Calistoga, CA 
Books (2017)

My favorite book for 2017 is "A Gentleman in Moscow" by Amor Towles. Finishing this book, I had to read his other book - "Rules of Civility" but "A Gentleman in Moscow" was far superior.
  1. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
  2. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
  3. Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
  4. The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer
  5. The Godfather by Mario Puzzo
  6. The Boys: The Untold Story of 732 Young Concentration Camp Survivors by Martin Gilbert
  7. The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis
  8. Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
  9. American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Rock Albums (2017)

There were not that many rock albums that I really liked in 2017.
  1. "Louie Louie Louie" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
  2. "Windy City" by Alison Krauss
  3. "Live in Amsterdam" by Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa
  4. "All The Light Above It Too" by Jack Johnson
  5. "Southern Blood" by Gregg Allman
  6. "Fire on the Floor" by Beth Hart
  7. "Lust for Life" by Lana Del Ray
Rock Concerts

My favorite rock concert was Elton John's Made in England Tour at Tacoma Dome. It was my first Rock concert and a truly fantastic experience. I have been to his other concerts, i.e., the Red Piano in Las Vegas, but they did not have the same atmosphere and intensity.
  1. Elton John's Made in England Tour, Tacoma Dome, Washington on 9/9/1995 
  2. Leonard Cohen, HP Pavilion, San Jose, 11/7/2012. 
  3. The History of the Eagles, HP Pavilion, San Jose, 1/29/2013 
  4. Postmodern Jukebox, The Warfield, San Francisco, 12/13/2015 
  5. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Harrah's Hotel and Casino, 5/30/2015 
  6. The Gipsy Kings, Mountain Winery, 8/27/2014. 
  7. Carlos Santana, Shoreline Amphitheater, 2002
Opera

My favorite opera is Carmen by Georges Bizet, due to the fantastic music and dramatic story. I am also partial to Puccini, especially Madame Butterfly.
  1. Carmen, Houston Grand Opera
  2. Madame Butterfly, Houston Grand Opera, 1993
  3. Marriage of Figaro, San Francisco Opera, 6/21/15
  4. Barber of Seville, San Francisco Opera, 11/23/13
  5. La Traviata, Houston Grand Opera
  6. Don Giovanni, San Francisco Opera
  7. La Boheme, San Francisco Opera,  11/22/14
  8. The Magic Flute, San Francisco Opera
  9. Lucia de Lammermoor, Houston Grand Opera
  10. Elektra, Houston Grand Opera
  11. Salome, Houston Grand Opera

Musical Theater

My favorite musical is Chicago (most recently seen at Ambassador Theater on Broadway), but I am a massive fan of Kander & Ebb musicals (including Cabaret). I also like Cole Porter's musicals (Anything Goes, Kiss Me Kate!) and George Gershwin (Crazy for You) the most.
  1. Chicago, Ambassador Theater, Broadway, New York City 12/18/2016. 
  2. Fiddler on the Roof, Broadway Theater, New York City, 12/23/2016 
  3. Cabaret, Orpheum Theater, San Francisco 
  4. Anything Goes, Golden Gate Theater, San Francisco, 1/19/2013 
  5. Grease, Orpheum Theater, San Francisco 
  6. Monty Python's Spamalot, Orpheum, San Francisco 
  7. Kiss Me Kate, Orpheum, San Francisco 
  8. Saturday Night Fever, Orpheum, San Francisco 
  9. Showboat, War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, 6/13/2014 
  10. 42nd Street, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London, 7/15/2017
  11. Mary Poppins, Orpheum, San Francisco, 5/12/2013 
  12. Mamma Mia, Orpheum, San Francisco
  13. Phantom of the Opera, Orpheum, San Francisco, 8/21/2015
  14. The Book of Mormon, San Francisco, 1/7/2014 
  15. Cats, Neil Simon Theater, New York City, 12/24/2016 
  16. The Lion King, Orpheum, San Francisco
  17. Les Miserables, Orpheum, San Francisco
  18. Hello Dolly!, Orpheum, San Francisco
  19. Mathilda, Orpheum, San Francisco, 7/23/2015 
  20. Fosse, San Jose Center for the Performing Arts
  21. Annie, Portland, Oregon

Theater (Drama & Comedy)

I am incredibly partial to William Shakespeare's dramas, especially Hamlet, Macbeth, and King Lear. Having seen them long ago, I don't have any exposure to more recent productions.
  1. Emma, TheatreWorks, Palo Alto, 12/4/2015 
  2. Les Liaisons Dangereuses, New York City, 12/22/2016 
  3. Disgraced, Berkeley Rep, Berkeley, 12/12/2015 
  4. Cyrano, TheatreWorks, Mountain View, 4/24/2016 
  5. Outside Mullingar, TheatreWorks, Palo Alto, 10/7/2016 
  6. The Hard Problem, Geary Theater, San Francisco, 10/19/2016 
  7. Daddy Longs Legs, Lucie Stern Theater, Palo Alto, 12/3/2016 
  8. Oleanna, Houston, 1992

Hiking Trails

Half-Dome was the longest, most challenging hike I have done. It has fantastic overlooks of Yosemite Valley. However, the other hikes in Silver Falls State Park in Oregon are also great.
  1. Half-Dome, Yosemite, CA 
  2. Silver Falls State Park, Oregon 
  3. Dipsea Trail, Sausalito, CA 
  4. Big Basin Redwoods, Boulder Creek, CA 
  5. Castle Rock State Park, CA 
  6. Mt. Shasta, CA 
  7. Point Lobos Natural Reserve, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 
  8. Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mineral, CA 
  9. Huddart County Park, Woodside, CA

Ski Resorts

My favorite place to ski and snowboard is Whistler, near Vancouver, British Columbia. Whistler usually has great snow with minimal elevation gain, excellent, inexpensive restaurants, and a tremendous youthful vibe (with many other nearby activities such as tubing, ice skating, dog sledding, cross-country skiing, & snowmobiling). It's also has a fabulous Scandinave Spa!
  1. Whistler/Blackcomb, BC, Canada (best resort) 
  2. Mount Hood Meadows, Mt. Hood, Oregon 
  3. Mt. Bachelor, Oregon 
  4. Kirkwood, Lake Tahoe, CA (best local powder)
  5. Heavenly, South Lake Tahoe 
  6. Squaw Valley, Lake Tahoe, CA 
  7. Mt. Rose, East Lake Tahoe, NV 
  8. Sierra-at-Tahoe, Lake Tahoe, CA
  9. Sugar Bowl, Lake Tahoe, CA (closest resort) 

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