An very traditional and rustic recipe, this old-fashioned German fruit and nut bread is deliciously dense, chewy, moist and flavorful. A labor of love worth every effort! This is a very old-fashioned, very rustic bread from where I grew up in the Swabia region of … Continue reading →
Catamaran Resort Hotel & Oceana Coastal Kitchen
We've partnered with the Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa to bring you this post.Above image courtesy Catamaran Resort What are your family vacation plans? If you want to stay stateside, we highly recommend San Diego as one of THE most family-friendly cities in America. … Continue reading →
San Diego’s Top 12 Family Attractions
I've teamed up with Visit San Diego to bring you this post. All opinions are entirely my own. San Diego has consistently been ranked among the top best family destinations in the United States and just this year was ranked the #1 Travel Destination in the nation by … Continue reading →
A Nine-course Evening at The Herbfarm
"Our Food Philosophy: The Herbfarm believes that no dish can be better than its ingredients, and that the best ingredients are usually local." As National Geographic's #1 Destination Restaurant In The World, it was high time we visited The Herbfarm, especially … Continue reading →
JW Restaurant, Gig Harbor, WA (The South Sound’s “Best” 5 Years Running)
Once again we bring you to the beautiful South Sound region of Washington State to historic downtown Gig Harbor. And this time we're taking a look at JW Restaurant. Based on outward appearances, JW is the most unassuming restaurant you can imagine. … Continue reading →
Portland’s Hotel Eastlund, Citizen Baker & Altabira City Tavern
All photos copyright The Daring Gourmet We recently took another trip to Portland, this time to attend a conference in the convention center. Fortunately for us the closest hotel also happened to be the nicest in the area. Hotel Eastlund is a new 4-star luxury … Continue reading →
Gourmet Burger Shop, Gig Harbor, WA
This isn't your typical burger shop. In a culture where advertising isn't always what it seems and the pictures don't always reflect what you get, in this case they really did get it right: These burgers are gourmet. The moment we took our first bite it was evident that … Continue reading →
A Glimpse of Washington’s Beautiful South Puget Sound
Well folks, whether we want to admit it or not, Summer is coming to an end. How was your summer? I love Washington summers! They are what make putting up with the rainy months totally worth it. As usual the summer was a beautiful one here in Washington State. But it … Continue reading →
An Evening at Ascots in Bermuda
We recently went on a couple's getaway to Bermuda and with only 5 days' time and so much we wanted to see and do, so we had to be very selective with our activities. And that included our choice of restaurants. Choosing a restaurant not only involves an investment of money … Continue reading →
Family Visit To Sonoma County: What To See & Where To Stay
When most people think of Sonoma County they think of wine. And that's an accurate image because it's wine country. In fact it's the #1 wine country destination in the U.S.. But Sonoma County offers a great deal beyond its wine-related activities. Our family took a … Continue reading →
A Day in St. George’s, Bermuda
If you're traveling to Bermuda, St. George's is an absolute must. Indeed, St. George's is enough reason alone to travel to Bermuda in the first place. The oldest surviving English town in the New World, St. George's is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a historical … Continue reading →
Bermuda: A Week at The Hamilton Princess & Beach Club
We recently returned from a week in paradise. Bermuda. And during that week we were invited to stay in one of the most stunning hotels we've visited: Bermuda's premier Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, a Fairmont managed hotel. Luxury hotels are frankly a dime a … Continue reading →
Loews Hollywood Hotel, Los Angeles, California
Our family recently took a trip to Los Angeles and stayed at the Loews Hollywood Hotel. Located at the corner of Hollywood and Highland, its boasts views of the hills, the Hollywood sign, is just minutes from the Griffith Conservatory, Universal Studios, Madame Tussauds and … Continue reading →
An Iconic Tour of Victoria, BC
Depending on what you plan on doing there, Victoria offers fun, beauty, elegance, charm, history and adventure. A few weeks ago in early March I invited my mom to join me for a weekend getaway. Victoria is reminiscent of England in some aspects of its culture and … Continue reading →
Family Weekend in Whistler, B.C.
That's my husband in the picture. Okay, not really. But he does look pretty dang good in skis and can hold his own on the slopes! I grew up in southern Germany just a couple of hours from the German and Austrian Alps. My parents took us skiing every winter and those … Continue reading →
Breathtaking Butchart Gardens and High Tea in Victoria, BC
Last week we took a trip to beautiful Victoria, BC. I invited my mom so we could spend some quality mother-daughter time and The Butchart Gardens was at the top of our list of places to visit. Though it was early March, there were some Spring flowers already in bloom and … Continue reading →
Historic Madison, Georgia
Madison is a real treasure. We took our kids on vacation to Georgia to visit some family and Madison was one of the top destinations on our list. My husband and father-in-law are both history buffs and even though I grew up in Europe, American history has always fascinated … Continue reading →
Solvang: California’s Little Denmark
My husband and I escaped for a little couple's getaway to Southern California and on our drive up the coast we stopped at the little town of Solvang in the heart of Santa Barbara's beautiful wine country in the Santa Ynez Valley. Solvang, Danish for "sunny fields", is a … Continue reading →
Daring Gourmet Getaways: Westin Portland, Oregon
My mom and I recently took a trip down to Portland, Oregon for a girls' weekend getaway. Choosing a hotel was an easy decision. After the great experience my husband and I had at the Westin Bellevue, I was eager to try the Westin Portland. We couldn't have picked a better … Continue reading →
Four Fun Family Attractions in Santa Barbara, California
My husband and I took a couple's trip to Los Angeles last Summer and drove up to Santa Barbara for a day while we were there. Known as the American Riviera, we instantly fell in love with it. And as wonderful as it is for a romantic getaway, Santa Barbara isn't only a place … Continue reading →
The Daring Gourmet Dines Out: Casa Guadalajara, San Diego, California
Our family had the pleasure of eating at Casa Guadalajara while on vacation in San Diego. It was a fun and delicious experience! Colorful, vibrant, lively, flavorful - four words that describe both the restaurant and its food. Come take a virtual tour of the restaurant … Continue reading →
Daring Gourmet Vacations: Sheraton Gateway Hotel, Los Angeles, CA
Our family recently took a vacation to Los Angeles and stayed a the Sheraton Gateway Hotel. Because of its great location, Sheraton Gateway served as a perfect home base for our family to access many of the LA attractions we came to see. The hotel is conveniently located … Continue reading →
The Daring Gourmet Dines Out: Bali Hai Restaurant, Shelter Island, San Diego, California
Here's some sunshine and palm trees for you to enjoy during this chilly season. Our dining experience at Bali Hai Restaurant on Shelter Island in San Diego, California. You've got to see the setting and views! … Continue reading →
Daring Gourmet Getaways: Hotel Palomar, Westwood, California
This is the second Kimpton hotel we've stayed at and we're noticing a definite pattern: Swanky luxury hotels in great locations with top notch service, exquisitely comfortable rooms and beds, and each with their own unique personalities. Come take a virtual tour of Hotel … Continue reading →
Daring Gourmet Vacations: Omni San Diego Hotel, California
Our family went on vacation to San Diego a few weeks ago and stayed at the Omni San Diego Hotel. Normally a hotel is just the place you stay while you're having fun elsewhere, but in this case, Omni San Diego was very much a highlight of our family vacation. We were so … Continue reading →
The Daring Gourmet Dines Out: Paparazzi Ristorante, Los Angeles, California
If you like Italian cuisine and either live in Los Angeles or plan on taking a trip there, then this is a restaurant you must get to know. Currently ranked #10 best Italian restaurant in Los Angeles, Paparazzi Ristorante is a gem. Each dish uses the finest … Continue reading →
Daring Gourmet Vacations: San Diego, California (Part I)
We just got back a couple of weeks ago from our family vacation to southern California. With a rambunctious 2 and 4 year old we were a little stressed at the thought of how it would all play out. But I'm happy to report we all made it back in one piece having … Continue reading →
The Daring Gourmet Dines Out: BLVD 16, Westwood, California
Located in Kimpton's Hotel Palomar in the swanky Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles is BLVD 16, the hotel's highly acclaimed restaurant and lounge. Not only frequented by hotel guests, BLVD 16 is a popular hangout for the locals and it's easy to see why: It provides some … Continue reading →
Daring Gourmet Getaways: Inn At The Market, Seattle, Washington
It's ranked #56 out of 100 best hotels in the world by Travel + Leisure 2014 and #3 best small city hotel in the USA. It won TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards for Top 25 Hotels in the USA, has consistently made Condé Nast's Gold List and is in the Condé Nast Platinum … Continue reading →
Seattle’s Pike Place Market: A Virtual Tour and History
We live less than an hour from Seattle and it's always been one of our favorite date night destinations. My husband and I recently took a couples overnight trip and stayed at Seattle's highly acclaimed Inn At the Market which is literally right next to Pike Place Market, … Continue reading →
Daring Gourmet Getaways: Alexis Hotel, Seattle
All pictures taken by The Daring Gourmet. (Exceptions: The two bedroom photos courtesy Alexis Hotel) Location! Location! Location! We've all seen those words slapped onto real estate flyers but they're especially applicable here. Smack dab in the heart of Seattle, … Continue reading →
Daring Gourmet Getaways: Westin Bellevue Hotel + A Day of Bellevue Food Fun
Above image courtesy of Westin Bellevue (also the swimming pool and spa pic). All other images were taken by and are copyright of The Daring Gourmet. My husband and I recently took another trip to beautiful Bellevue, Washington. This time we decided to take our 2 year … Continue reading →
The Daring Gourmet Dines Out: The Musso & Frank Grill, Hollywood’s Oldest Restaurant
My husband and I recently went on a couple's getaway to Los Angeles. I had scoped out a few restaurants in advance and the one that stood out to me most was the historic Musso & Frank Grill, the oldest restaurant in Hollywood. It first opened it's doors in 1919 and has … Continue reading →
Daring Gourmet Getaways: The Grand Hotel in Salem, Oregon
We recently took a family trip to Oregon to visit the Enchanted Forest theme park (click to read about our visit). We stayed overnight at the beautiful 4-star Grand Hotel in Salem. Let us take you on a virtual tour of our experience. … Continue reading →
Daring Gourmet Getaways: Hotel Murano Tacoma, WA
Above image courtesy of Hotel Murano. All other images, unless otherwise noted, copyright The Daring Gourmet. Enjoy this virtual tour of the beautiful Hotel Murano. A stunning hotel of glass in the heart of Tacoma. … Continue reading →
The Daring Gourmet Dines Out: BITE (Tacoma, WA)
Situated on the 4th floor of Hotel Murano in downtown Tacoma, BITE is a sleek and trendy restaurant offering full views of the city skyline and water. We recently dined there and sampled several of their dishes. Come join us on a virtual tour! Above two images … Continue reading →
Creamy Artichoke Spinach Pasta (+ Dining Out With The Kids)
Thank you to BJ's Restaurant and Pollinate for sponsoring this post! A deliciously creamy, cheesy artichoke spinach pasta salad that is quick and easy to make with phenomenal results! Plus, a little documentary of our experience dining out with our two very … Continue reading →
Daring Gourmet Getaways: Hyatt Regency Bellevue, WA
Our experience at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue, Washington. … Continue reading →
The Daring Gourmet Dines Out: John Howie Steak, Bellevue
My husband, Todd, and I recently enjoyed a night out in Bellevue and had dinner at John Howie Steak. This was our second time to this restaurant, and this time I came prepared with camera in hand because I wanted to share with you what I already knew would be a wonderful … Continue reading →
The Daring Gourmet Dines Out: Dirty Oscar’s Annex, Tacoma
Today we're featuring Dirty Oscar's Annex in Tacoma, Washington. They freely admit it: "Silly Name, Seriously Good Food." And they're correct. On both counts. Let's have a look. There, on a dark corner, in the dark shadows of a streetlight - its sign … Continue reading →