Chicago’s Alinea – Come on an Empty Stomach

Come on a very empty stomach. Some top rated restaurants fail to live up to the hype but this is not the case for Alinea. It has three Michelin stars and was voted the country's outstanding restaurant by the James Beard Foundation in 2016. Admittedly I was half worried that I wasn't going to enjoy the food as much as I should, but the presentation, breadth of tastes from dish to dish and fine but not stuffy service really surprised me as to how good this place really is. It's almost...

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Sonora – Stop for a Great Burger at Yosemite’s Gateway

En route to Yosemite from San Francisco Airport almost two years ago, my husband and I opted to stopover in Sonora, which had promised to be a quaint gold rush era town with good food. This seemed the sane thing to do after a long flight but it's probably also because we wanted to save the cost of a night's stay at the pricey Ahwahnee. And we were intrigued by getting a good cheeseburger at the Diamondback Grill in Sonora.

See related post - Yosemite – Tips for First...

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Lark Seattle – Best Pork and it’s Not a Chinese Restaurant

I found one of the best melt-in-your-pork dishes in Lark, Seattle's well established modern American restaurant. It was a nice surprise because we almost didn't order it since there are lots of other choices. Lark presents its food tapas style with dishes meant to be shared and this is a great way to sample more of its menu. Besides the pork, I thought Lark's pasta was good and if I have a chance to go back, I'd probably try a few more pasta and starter dishes. While the dishes are not as...

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Eden Hill Lifts Seattle’s Food Scene

Eden Hill is just a lot of fun - with surprising ingredients coming together to create what was infinitely and deliciously edible and oddly comfortable. I was on a short visit back to Seattle and lucky enough to be able to get a table (book ahead!) in this cosy restaurant at the foot of Queen Anne Hill. The restaurant's website describes itself as "Avant Garde, New American" and I think that's pretty appropriate although with food that incorporates sweetbread and foie gras and reflects...

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On Mt. Rainier – Scenic Walk with Meadow Flowers in Bloom

Nice walk on Mt. Rainier

Since I'm rarely in Seattle, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to catch the meadow flowers in bloom on Mt. Rainier. The scenic Naches Peak Loop Trail was a great way to view the flowers as well as a few lakes in a relatively easy three-plus mile walk.

Mt. Rainier is around a one and a half hour drive from downtown Seattle. While I joined Evergreen Escapes for this tour to Mt. Rainier, it's actually pretty easy to do this walk on your own if you have a car. The trail is well signed and...

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