Reviews by Friends of jro

Matt says "Maui In Six Days with Three Kids" about Maui

Matt — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 05:10:46 GMT

We just got back from six days in Maui. Our last trip was 15 years ago as dating couple. This time we went back with our three kids and had an amazing time. Incredibly relaxing, beautiful and re-energizing. On our last trip we stayed at The Ritz Carlton in Kapalua. This time we stayed in a house (via Ultimate Escapes) in an area of Maui called Kanapali which is in the city of Lahaina.

The Weather

Despite a gloomy forecast of partly cloudy for most of the week, we had nearly perfect weather. While it was not couldless, we went to the beach every day and what coulds there were did not stop us from doing any outdoor activity. It did rain a few times but it passed very quickly. It ranged from the 70s to 80s every day peaking around 2pm. I was never sweltering hot and never wore anymore than a t-shirt and shorts.

The scenery, views and terrain

Absolutely beautiful. Incredible views that rival places like the Amalfi coast of Italy and the pacific coast highway...

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Matt says "Ferraro's was a real treat - beautiful, delicious and memorable" about Ferraro's Bar e Ristorante - Wailea, HI

Matt — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 03:23:20 GMT

During a recent week long trip to Maui with the family (kids 10, 8, 4) I decided we needed at least one night out to a "nice" restaurant. We had dinner the first night The Ritz Carlton so for our big night out I decided to try Ferraro's at The Four Seasons Wailea.

I will have to say The Four Seasons was bustling with activity and seemed very crowded and too much of a "see and been seen" type of place for me. However, the service, food and view the Ferraor's was nearly perfect. Set on a cliff above the ocean, the view and sounds were idyllic. The staff was very attentive. It started to pour rain right in the middle of dinner (we ate outside under large umbrellas) and they did everything they could to make sure we were not impacted. Despite being a fine dining experience and a great place for a romantic dinner, Ferraro's is also very very kid friendly.

I had the Tuna and my wife ordered the chicken. I thought both were great. Perfectly cooked, succulent, fresh and well seasoned....

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Matt says "The Melting Pot delivers a unique and fun dining experience" about The Melting Pot - Lahaina, HI

Matt — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 02:58:38 GMT

Our 10 year old recently went to The Melting Pot in Chicago and loved it. On our recent vacation to Maui he saw the restaurant and begged us to go. Ordinarily my wife and I would prefer something healthier but of course, who can say no when the kids are so excited?

The Melting Pot is of course, all about fondue. Cheese Fondue for the first course, more traditional broth and oil based fondue for the main course and chocolate for dessert. There are all sorts of options during each course. You get to mix and match cheeses, broths and chocolates along with a large variety of mix ins. The experience is full of theatrics by The Melting Pot staff, and is very engaging and social for the table.

We had a great time. The cheese fondue comes with bread, carrots, and apples for dipping. For the broth based course we ordered the standard broth for the kids and the coco van for the adults. The adults defintetely preferred the coco van broth. We ordered the teriakyi Filet Mignon...

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Matt says "The Gazebo is a average restaurant with a great location" about The Gazebo - Lahaina, HI

Matt — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 02:19:46 GMT

The Gazebo restaurant is a casual and fun breakfast spot in Lahaina that I would describe as a hidden gem a bit off the beaten track. The food was good but not great. However, how often do you get to eat an affordable and kid friendly breakfast just feet from the beautiful ocean?

I am a fan of great (if not legendary) breakfast/brunch spots. Whenever we travel I do my research and then drag the family to a few out of the way spots. I found pretty slim pickings in this regard for our recent trip to Maui. However, The Gazebo seemed to be the most promising choice.

The kids had the house specialty (Macadamia Nut and Banana Pancakes) and my wife and I ordered omelets. Both were good but not outstanding. The staff was very friendly. The wait was long and remained long the entire time we were there. At least 30 minutes. And they don't take your name so be prepared to have a least one person from your party wait in line.

The really special part of the meal was eating outside...

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Matt says "Good People will have you on the edge of your seat" about Good People

Matt — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 02:04:11 GMT

Based on the recommendation of the local NPR station, WBEZ, my wife recently gave me Marcus Sakey's Good People for a holiday gift. I typically read business related non fiction so digging into a crime thriller was a welcome change of pace. Good People is a great Chicago based crime fiction book that delivers suspense, great writing, wry cultural insights, and a great twists and turns in the plot.

I could not put the book down and tore through in within the second day of vacation. If you live in the city of Chicago Good People is particularly interesting. Many of the scenes in the book took place blocks from my office and home. It was fun to know many of the precise locations described in the book.

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Courtney11 says "Land End luggage - was carried on, then carried off!" about Lands End 20" Lighthouse Wheeled Carry-on Set

Courtney11 — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 21:57:42 GMT

I received some excellent looking Lands End luggage for Christmas this year and it couldn't have been more perfect timing. My sister and I are always traveling back to Boston during the holidays to visit the fam so we use our luggage a bunch of times throughout the year. We have had the same luggage for the past 10 years now and needless to say... both of our bags were getting fairly run down. Each one had suffered broken straps, tears in the seams, bent handles, shattered plastic and way to much more. Upon receiving my new Lands End bag this year I was excited to travel back with something that would hopefully make my life (and traveling) a whole lot easier. Unfortunately, it wasn't necessarily so. I NEVER check my bags when I fly... if my Dad has to wait more than 10 minutes at the airport to pick us up he is not a happy camper (sorry Dad). Plus, I have had my bags lost before and it can take days to get it back. So, on the flight back from Boston, I excitedly rolled my bag onto the...

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Meredith says "Santa gave me an iPod Nano! It's bright yellow for 2009!" about Apple - 8GB iPod Nano Chromatics

Meredith — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:11:43 GMT

My new bright yellow, 8GB iPod Nano Chromatic brought me into the 21st century! Finally. Don't make fun. This is my first iPod. I could not have received a more appropriate color with yellow being the new hue of 2009!

Now, I'm addicted to both Pandora AND iTunes! $.99 song downloads are like candy I can't stop eating. Plus, buying albums in seconds for less than $10 is amazing! I have to be really careful not to get carried away.

As a PC user, I'm relatively new to Apple products. The technology and style completely outshine PC's in my opinion. Apples's Nano does not disappoint. My 8GB Nano allows something like 6,000 songs, video capability, photos, podcasts, scrollable album cover art and a cool shake-to-shuffle option. Also, the new ipod nanos have a program called Genuis which suggests new songs you may like based on the artists you already enjoy.

Two things that are hard for me to get used to with the ipod nano:

The Nano is sooooo lightweight I feel like I could break it with my pinky....

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Jolie says "Meet my Granddaughter Lexi, an American Girl Bitty Baby " about American Girl Bitty Baby

Jolie — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 04:41:35 GMT

My daughter asked Santa for a baby doll for Xmas. That was all that she wanted and nothing more. When she got her American Girl bitty baby she was an instant mommy and I was an instant Grandma to baby LEXI (yes, that is what my daugher named her American Girl bitty baby.)

The bitty baby is blond and blue eyed, just like my daughter, and made of sturdy construction. She is also small enough to carry around easily.

Since bitty baby came into our family, bitty baby has been to the movie theater, out to dinner, Xmas dinner, her Great-grandma's house and more. She is a full member of the family now and is with my daughter 24 x 7.

I, (I mean Santa), had originally picked out a baby from Target for $30. But, I have to admit, for $10 more, the American Girl bitty baby was so much nicer. She is actually normal looking with a cute little face and a button nose. Some of the babies look a little demented. But, the American Girl biddy baby is actually pretty cute!!!

Now, if I can just avoid buying the......

Jolie says "I am not a huge Brad Pitt fan, but he was good and "hot"" about The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Jolie — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 04:19:25 GMT

Yah, what Mike said! That was a thorough review!!

I liked Benjamin Button and I even cried during the movie a few times. The acting was good, the story line well developed, and it was such a touching love story.

I did think that the movie was a little slow going for the first hour, but when Brad Pitt turned into a man and he was courting his "love", it captured more of my attention. Hehehehhe. Again, I am not a huge Brad fan, but his acting was good, he looked good, and the storyline was touching.

I would consider seeing Benjamin Button in the theater but dont read too much-- it is a little over-hyped in my opinion.

For whatever it's worth, I thought Angelina did just as good of a job in Changeling. They are quite the duo.

My rating: a solid B
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Matt says "Call Me Ted is inspirational, well written and thought provoking" about Call Me Ted

Matt — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:30:14 GMT

I just finished reading "Call Me Ted" which is an autobiography of Ted Turner, the iconoclastic business man who brought the world CNN, The Cartoon Channel, and Ted's Montana Grill among many other business and charitable contributions. As a reader I found the book engaging and easy to read, well written, informative and thought provoking. As an entrepreneur I found the book inspiring. However as father of three young boys, I found myself disappointed that Turner threw himself into time consuming and life threatening sailing competitions at the expense of spending time with his children.

By reading "Call Me Ted" I gained a better appreciation for the trials and tribulations that Ted Turner went through to transform a sleepy billboard company founded by his father into an owner of television stations, creator of the first "SuperStations" and then the innovator of the 24 hour news channel with CNN. His vision, confidence, persistence, passion and incredible work ethic come through...

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kevin says "Russian River is a must stop brewpub experience" about Russian River Brewery - Santa Rosa, CA

kevin — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:44:29 GMT

Russian River Brewery is one of the preeminent craft brewers around these days (with two brews in the Beer Advocate Top Ten list). Therefore when I was recently in Somona County on vacation I had to take a break from the wineries and see what all the fuss was about. I wasn't disappointed.

The Russian River brewpub is located in downtown Santa Rosa. The brewpub sports a long bar down one side and plenty of table seating. The decor was fairly minimal, with hops sacks hanging on the walls along side antique tin beer signs. Since RRBC brews on the premises you can get a view into their brewing operations although we didn't take any tours (not sure if they are offered or not).

We went on Christmas Eve for lunch and found a pleasant atmosphere and great service. The menu sported mostly beer friend appetizers, pizzas, and sandwiches. I had a tasty chicken sandwich with a very fresh green salad, and my siblings each had a 10in pizza. We all enjoyed the food very much.

Obviously though......

davedahl says "Magnolia Pub & Brewery - thoughtfully handcrafted food and beer." about Magnolia Pub & Brewery - San Francisco, CA

davedahl — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:47:37 GMT

I was in San Francisco for business back in October and just found the time to collate my notes on The Magnolia Pub & Brewery. This was my first/only trip the Magnolia and it's gone on my Must See San Francisco list...along with The Toronado which is just a few blocks away.

The Magnolia is right on the corner of Haight and Masonic. Two exterior walls of floor-to-ceiling windows and a corner door make it very inviting. It naturally draws in the people passing by.

The interior atmosphere is very warm due to the worn, relaxed, woodwork throughout (wood bar, wood paneling, wood booths, etc). Two sides are window booths looking out on Haight and Masonic. The two opposite walls on the back and other side have old yellowed wallpaper that reaches to the high ceilings and fantastic crown molding.

I wound my way through the tables and made my way to the bar. When traveling on business, and dining solo, I'm a big fan of the restaurants with full-menu bars...such as The Magnolia. It's a bit on the noisy......

davedahl says "Good Belgian strong dark ale - but a bit on the busy side." about Brasserie Dubuisson Freres Scaldis Noel

davedahl — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:13:23 GMT

Brasserie Dubuisson Feres (which I believe translates to Dubuisson Brothers Brewery) is a Belgian brewery who's particularly known in The States for this beer called Scaldis Noel. It's released at the end of the year around Holiday time. Actually, if you were to look for this in Belgium you'd want to look for the same beer labled "Bush de Noel" - it's renamed Scaldis for export purposes. I'm guessing the Anheuser-Busch people had something to do with that but I haven't verified.

So back to Scaldis Noel...

I found this on tap in Binny's south loop location in Chicago. It was chalice glass, filled to the rim, with no head, and served waay too cold. Hmm - couple strikes against Binny's. But I faithfully drank it down anyway.

It was colored an interesting beautiful sandy auburn and definitely hazed - not chill haze real haze.

Bringing it up to my maw I notice the smell of sweet ripe fruits, a little citrius, yeast and alcohol. Complex big nose.

The taste is even more complex. There's a ton going......

davedahl says "One of the best russian imperial stouts in the world." about Surly Darkness

davedahl — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 01:01:42 GMT

Surly is a small but fiesty upstart in the Minneapolis / St.Paul, MN area. They don't bottle beer - only kegs and cans. They also proclaim loudly that they brew what they want - and it's up to us to decide if we like it or not. Dig the attitude.

They're very well respected, and this is their highly rated Russian Imperial Stout called Darkness. Lots of producers these days use the "imperial" label - most of them mean nothing. In this case he RIS style is an old throwback to the days when a special beer was made for and exported to the Catherine the Seond's Russian court. Since it was going to royalty it HAD to be big!

Now, I've only had Darkness once - and it was the last 2oz from a keg at Binny's in Chicago's south loop. I ordered it, the keg blew, so they gave me the 2oz for free. Free is free but in this case it was an incredible tease.

The apperance was dark black everywhere - not even a hint of color at the edges. Thin layer of dark black rich head of tight bubbles.

Nose is a very complex......

davedahl says "It's a nice Belgian dubbel in a sea of fantastic competition." about Brooklyn Brewing Local 1

davedahl — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:42:15 GMT

The Brooklyn Brewery is a very well respected brewery in Brooklyn, NY. A couple homebrewing friends raised money, started a brewery, and now they're one of the top 3 producers in the "craft" segment (think Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada). Some of their beers are terrific, others are pretty good. All are worth drinking.

This beer is what Brooklyn calls a "Belgian inspired strong golden ale". Which to me means it's a Belgian dubbel with their own twist. Let's check it out more closely.....

Appearance is a golden but slightly hazy - definitely not chill haze as I found out. Big head made of big poppy fizzy bubbles diminishes to a fine layer. They continue to pop during the whole session, but are replenished by the steady stream from below. Seems force-carbonated but their website states it's "bottle reconditioned" http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/beer/?id=local1. No lacing whatsoever.

The only thing I can pull out of the aroma is a ever-so-slight funk. Nothing more to sniff, nada.

The taste is nice but...

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Jolie says "Redmoon Theater offers a magical theatrical experience!" about Redmoon Theater- Winter Pageant Redux

Jolie — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 04:10:17 GMT

I took my kids this past weekend to the Redmoon Theater to see their Winter Pageant. Honestly, I dont even know how to describe this 50 minute show other than magical- simply magical.

The Winter Pageant at the Redmoon is a visual wonder- celebrating the 4 seasons of Chicago with limited language and extravagant sets and visuals. There is use of lights, bubbles, darkness, movement, and more. Think a hybrid of blue man group and circ de solei and a broadway set.

I didnt know how my kids would react to the play but they were soooo taken by the show. The actors and actresses start 15 minutes early and engage the kids from moment one. The 50 minute show continues to engage them every step of the way. And, at the end, they even bring out cookies and parts of the set to look at closely.

If you can fit in a visit to the Redmoon Theater before the 21st of December, I would strongly encourage you to go. The Winter Pagent is amazing for both kids and adults and for only $10-$15 per ticket- it is a must......

davedahl says "Hanssens Oude Gueuze is a beer that's as unique as it sounds." about Hanssens Artisanaal Oude Gueuze

davedahl — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:47:59 GMT

Ah, Oude Gueuze my oude friend.

Gueuze is a style of beer that's technically a blend of two or more lambic beers - pretty exclusively brewed/blended in Belgium. New lambics are blended with old to accentuate the positive and hide the not-so-positive as well as to bring out unique flavors that aren't easy to create with just one brew.

Things don't get much funkier than a gueuze. Not for the faint-of-heart - but everybody should at least try it!

The Hanssens Artisanaal Oude GueuzeI I sampled was a 750ml from Sam's in Chicago. I really had to wrench the cork out of this baby but once it relented it produced a healthy FOP!

A medium pour gives an immediate big three-fingers head that's rather delecate but only dissipates down to a 1/2 finger. The beer is a crystal clear golden brew with tiny pin-prick champagne bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass for the duration.

The first whiff is a distinctly lambic/gueuze funk with some sour on the backend. Horse blanket.

Upfront the taste begins very...

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davedahl says "A boozy delicious sweet stout." about Stone Brewing 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

davedahl — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:37:13 GMT

I can't recall where I got this but it's from Stone Brewing in San Diego. They don't distribute in Chicagoland so I probably picked it up in Michigan. This bottle was a 22oz "bomber".

A hard pour produces only 1.5 fingers of head that slowly dissipates to only a thin layer...and barely any lacing. But that's okay since the lack of head better shows off the delicious mud lurking underneath.

This beer is black - black like a black hole. No light can escape. Inky. Viscous.

The first sip is sweet dark cherries and chocolate - distinct cocoa on the finish. Some spiciness underneath (cloves?) and delicious burnt toffee.

The nose is interesting - in that it's not as sweet as expected but a bit bready and yeasty.

Mouthfeel has a distinct alcohol boozyburn - which frankly balances the sweetness nicely.

Great stuff on a cold evening.

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