All Set in Massachusetts

Katikies, Santorini - A Magical Experience

During our recent vacation to Santorini, we stayed at the Katikies hotel in the quaint mountainside village of Oia. Before the trip, we spent a lot of time debating whether or not this hotel was worth the expensive room rate. It came highly recommended by both friends and travel magazines, but the limited photos on the web site didn't give us a clear indication of what the rooms or property would actually be like. However, when we arrived at the hotel, we quickly realized that no photos could do this hotel (or the absolutely stunning panoramic views from Oia) justice.

The hotel is literally built into a cliff, and to get to it, you need to descend down a set of steps to reception (and even more steps to the rooms, pool and hot tub). Upon arrival, you are greeted with a glass of champagne, and, soon after checking into your room, the staff delivers a bottle of white wine and a fresh fruit platter. The turn down service, complete with gourmet chocolates, each night only adds to this hotel's exemplary service.

We booked the most affordable room available at the hotel, and quickly realized that you can't go wrong with ANY of the rooms at the Katikies. They all have semi-private balconies that overlook the cliffs and the ocean. A full breakfast (along with a glass of champagne) is included in the room rate and served on your balcony - giving you time each day to fully soak in the views before heading to the pool, into town, or out to explore the Island. One morning, we slept through the breakfast time period, and the hotel readily accommodated us by serving it anyway. We nicknamed our room "the cave" because it's literally a stone cave with rounded ceilings built into the side of the cliff. Although it wasn't enormous, we thought it was really cool, and, most importantly, very quiet. The queen-sized bed was surprisingly comfortable, and we got great rest all three nights that we were there.

The beautifully white-washed hotel offers many wonderful features, highlighted by the infinity pool. In addition to the main pool area (which sometimes becomes crowded), there are two other pools, including one that is build into a partially enclosed cave. There are also plenty of comfortable lounge chairs with umbrellas near all of the pools. After the hot sun went down, we typically enjoyed a dip in the hot tub, which was also situated cliff-side on it's own level with an outdoor canopy bed for "resting." No one was ever in the hot tub, so it felt like our own private oasis.

We had a private wine tasting at sunset, which we will write up in a separate post.

All in all, the only way to describe this hotel is magical. And you truly have to see it to believe it.

A&T Ranking: 10/10    

Mykonos vs. Santorini

Planning a trip to Greece and trying to decide which islands to hit in the Cyclades? While we've only been to two islands, our advice is to do Mykonos before Santorini (the opposite of what we did). Mykonos is all about partying, while Santorini is about dramatic views and romantic little towns (especially Oia). Mykonos has some really pretty vistas, but it's hard not to see them as low-lying and barren compared to the cliffs of Santorini. Plus, you can get all-night partying and all-day beach going (Mykonos has much nicer beaches - especially Super Paradise) out of your system, and then just rest and enjoy the scenery and infinity pools in Santorini. Just our .02.

Santo Wines - One of the World's Most Spectacular Views!

If you want a fun wine tasting experience while in Santorini, definitely make a stop at Santo Wines. You can taste 12 wines (healthy pours) and get a cheese platter for the bargain price of 16 Euros. Plus, you will be treated to one of the most spectacular views imaginable. We will post photos soon, but honestly, this is one place you have to see with your own eyes... Alice even commented that she'd like to have a second wedding (to Thadd, of course) at the winery. They were setting up for a concert the day we were there, and we were thinking how great it would be to see a big name band (The Killers, perhaps?) live from Santorini.

Katrin - A Classic Mykonos Restaurant

Last night, we dined at Katrin, one of the nicest and most established restaurants in Hora/Mykonos. We had a true Greek dining experience, as we sat at a little candelit table right on the sidewalk in the winding, narrow alley way and got to do all sorts of people watching. While the food at Katrin is a little more expensive than some of the restaurants in Greece (we paid $50 for wine, as opposed to the $20-$30 that we've been spending other nights), the food is definitely unique and excellent. The appetizers, in particular, were delicious. We shared an artichoke heart stuffed with mushrooms, spinach, crab, and melted cheese, as well as an avocado filled with seafood and topped with cheese. Both were as delicious as they were described on the menu. The sliced cherry duck breast with camelized apples was a very good entree choice, and the lamb chops were tender and fresh. It's hard to go wrong with lamb in Greece! We took a break from white wine (which is by far the dominant type of wine in Greece) and had a nice bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon that was recommended by the waiter. We skipped dessert in favor of one of the many more affordable ice cream shops in town. If you're spending time in Mykonos, put Katrin at the top of your restaurant list!

Dining "Event" in Athens

On Wednesday evening, we arrived in Athens, hungry and exhausted after nearly 24 hours of travel (including a tortuous 6-hour layover in London Luton airport). Upon checking in, we asked the guy working the desk at the hotel where we might be able to find an authentic (and nearby) bite to eat, and he vehemently recommended a restaurant called Event. What ensued can be described as nothing less than the classic experience of two overtired people in a foreign city. We walked the narrow winding streets for nearly an hour trying to decipher the names of the roads and locate the restaurant. We asked numerous people for directions, only to hopefully turn down an alley and find a row of enticing restaurants by other names. We were about to give up when we finally stumbled upon it. And we're so thankful we persisted - the meal was outstanding. We had delicious appetizers, including a salad with the freshest feta cheese imaginable and ripe summer tomatoes, and a shrimp dish with homemade tomato sauce. The entrees were fantastic as well - white fish from the Aegean Sea and rack of lamb with baby artichokes. Thadd declared it the best and most flavorful rack of lamb he's ever tasted! The white wine (a specialty in Greece) and Baklava dessert rounded out this fabulous introduction to Greek cuisine. For anyone who is in Athens in the near future, this restaurant is a must - and be sure to ask for Alex, the waiter. He'll take good care of you!

One of the Best White Wines We've Had in a While...

If you're looking for a rich, smooth white wine that works well by itself - but also complements dishes such as pork tenderloin perfectly - look no further than Francois Chidaine's Les Tuffeaux Montlouis Sur Loire (2004). Alice's brother introduced us to this Loire Valley wine, and it's one of best we've had in a long time. To find retailers, try Ideal Wine & Spirits. We're curious to hear what other people think!

A&T Ranking: 9.5/10

A Winery to Watch: Brassfield High Valley Appellelation

This summer, we enjoyed two wines from an emerging, yet still relatively unknown, area in California -- the High Valley Appellation. High Valley offers a unique combination of volcanic and alluvial soil, which, combined with the cool climate, makes it ideal for growing top-quality grapes. We tried the Brassfield Estate Winery 2006 Sauvignon Blanc and the 2004 Pinot Noir - both of which were enjoyable and easy-to-drink. We had the Sauvignon Blanc with cheese, crackers and other light hors d'oeuvres at Alice's parents house. Everyone agreed that the tangy pear, melon, and floral flavors of the Sauvignon Blanc made it perfectly refreshing on a warm summer's night. The Pinot Noir was more medium-bodied, with a nice cherry and spice aroma and a long, silky finish that fills your mouth. While these wines may be relatively hard to find (the Pinot Noir says "sold out" on the web site), they're definitely worth trying if you can get your hands on them.

A&T Ranking:

Pinot Noir - 8/10

Sauvignon Blanc - 9/10

When in the Hamptons...

We recently made our first trip to the Hamptons to attend a wedding and visit our close Duke friends, Sam and Cristina. We had a fantastic weekend staying at their lovely home, playing in the waves at the beach, and exploring the town of East Hampton. On Saturday night, we dined at the renowned eating establishment, The 1770 House. The setting was quaint and the meal was outstanding - from appetizers to dessert. We tried a range of appetizers, including the Jumbo Lump Crab Summer Roll, which had a delicious thai chili spice that was softened by sweet, juicy mango and green papaya. Thadd enjoyed his usual Foie Gras, which was served with a vanilla and bing cherry sauce - a combination that even made Sam and Cristina Foie Gras converts! We both enjoyed the Pan Seared Diver Scallops for an entree, which were served with a sunchoke and truffle veloute, wild mushrooms, and spring peas. If you like scallops, you will not be disappointed with this choice. Cristina had the Roasted Wild Alaskan Salmon, which she also raved about. For dessert, we shared the Molten Dark Chocolate Cake and a Peanut Butter Chocolate Special, both of which were rich yet delicious. We complemented the meal with several bottles of the 2005 Sauvignon Blanc, Saracina from Mendocino, CA - which had a delicate balance of fruit flavors (we're picky Sauvignon Blanc drinkers - and we liked this wine)!  All in all, a fantastic meal and even better company - a night to remember!

33 Restaurant and Lounge

A few weeks ago, we took some friends from Europe out on the town and decided to try 33 Restaurant and Lounge. The restaurant is sleek and swanky on the inside but was fairly empty on a Wednesday evening - the benefit being that we got a 1,000 points from our Open Table reservation. We told the sommelier that we like Sonoma Pinot Noirs, and he gave us a great deal on a bottle of Hartford Court Land's Edge Vineyards 2005 Pinot Noir, which retails for $45 and got 96 points from the Wine Enthusiast. The wine was outstanding with a perfect balance of ripe cherry, spice and cedar. The Hudson Valley Foie Gras and Pan Seared Diver Scallops appetizers were delicious, but the Noi Wrapped Indonesian Tuna definitely left something to be desired. We are big tuna fans, but this Tuna was fishy and lacked good flavor - I couldn't even bring myself to eat much of it. As expected, 33 seems to be more about the bar scene than the food, but the bar staff was friendly & this hot spot is definitely worth checking out for a late-night drink.

Wine Tips from a Guy at Mix

Our waiter at Mix in Las Vegas gave us a few tips on value wine buys:

Buy

German Whites 2003

California Cabs 2002

Red Rhones 1998/2000

Talley Vineyards Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

JM Boillot Puligny Montrachet 2002