USA Day, 2026

That title is (perhaps more than) a little disrespectful, I know.  I choose to live in the US, but I also choose to live a little apart from it, and given how the flag and national symbols have been so horribly co-opted by the right in this country, I find it even harder now to note the Fourth of July and offer Americans any sort of congratulations or cheer.  Sorry.

It was no less difficult this year to summon up July 4 cheer.  Aside from the messy political situation, it oddly felt like there wasn't much being done to celebrate.  Oh, sure, we saw flags and bunting and some really awful (and, frankly, disrespectful) fashion decisions - why oh why do USians insist on draping their flag across their tits or butts (if they can dress crudely, I can use crude language).  But there really was no sense anywhere that this was a celebration worthy of attention.  It felt like a summer Saturday, nothing more.

Conrad and I checked out of that awful room and left through the patio door to the parking immediately outside because I was in no mood to be nice to the desk clerks.  We tried meeting up with his family members and mostly failed.  So it was that, come noon CDT, we were at a Culver's in Marinette, WI.  A burger each, onion rings to share. 

Not the healthiest lunch, but certainly an enjoyable one.

From there it was on to Green Bay, with a stop at Klema's (which was Seguin's for so many years),

and that was a welcome return to something a little more luxurious, a little better.  I know, I know, I am a terrible snob.  Sorry.  It was just such a weird and not entirely great visit to Escanaba, and having a good hotel for a night,

and one with a spa (we each got a treatment) and a nice bar and restaurant, was such a balm.  We checked in, sorted ourselves out, then headed to the spa for a while.

After that, we had an easy evening ahead.  We took care of repacking for our travel the next day before we went to dinner, then headed up to Taverne in the Sky for a nice meal, commencing with a cocktail each (Last Word, thank you to them for having green chartreuse)

in the bar with its view of Lambeau Field

before heading into the dining room.  They've spruced things up in there.  They've also got a new chef (who came out to chat with us), and he has focused the menu nicely.  The service was attentive and knowledgeable, too.  Summer is clearly not their busy season, and I'm sure the holiday further affected things.  It was fairly quiet in the dining room, which feels like a luxury in this day and age of loud music and chatter in restaurants.  We were grateful for it all.

The food!  Oysters to start, and I liked the apple brunoise. 

I especially liked the glass of Sardinian wine paired with it just as the host suggested when we were talking with him at the bar.  The tuna crudo was also tasty

- Conrad liked that one a lot.  We also had some bread, which was a nice quality. 

I kind of wish restaurants would stop with the balsamic vinegar thing with bread, but ah well.

I was glad that they had a smaller steak on offer, a 6 oz filet.  Much more than that can be too much meat.  The steak was nicely cooked, the cauliflower was a colourful side, and the parsnip puree was ridiculously silky. 

I could quibble and suggest that it all might have been warmer when it came out, but it was a meal to savour slowly anyway, so it was rather cool by the time I ate my last mouthful.  Dessert was good although it felt a little like something halfway to a great idea. 

The lemon parts were terrific, but the pile of pistachios with the vanilla ice cream did not go with it as well as it could.  We had a lot of desserts on this trip that involved a scoop of ice cream, and I get that it's summer, but I don't think that's always the solution.  The nuts could have been made into something, a praline perhaps.  Still, the dessert was a satisfying way to finish the meal.

As the meal ended, we could see fireworks in the distance from three locations.  These continued on as the skies darkened.  We got back to our room where we could still see fireworks

beyond the Titletown complex. 

We wound down, in no great rush in the morning thanks to proximity to the airport, time of flight, and generally being ready to go.

I don't think Conrad and I really remarked much on it being a national holiday all day, which is so odd for a 250th anniversary.  A milestone that got sidelined.  It was a nice day, though, so I am appreciative of that.

date night at Rose Mary

Conrad and I have been fans of the show Top Chef for quite some time now.  I think the first season I watched was the 3rd, set in Miami, and I confess that it was in part because I was channel surfing, landed on it, and thought that Dale Levitski (the runner up that season) was cute.  I wish I knew what he was up to these days - I'd be glad to try what he's cooking lately.  Anyway, I got Conrad into watching with me quite a while back, and since then we've dined at multiple Top Chef contestant restaurants.  On this past trip to Chicago, we managed two, in fact.  One meal with friends, and I'll blog that soon enough, and one date night for the two of us at Rose Mary.

Season 15 of the series was set in Colorado, spending most of its time in Denver.  Going in to the season, we were rooting for Bruce Kalman, who had a restaurant in Pasadena we'd dined at previously (and although he's long gone from Union, we were back there again recently).  He went far, but not all the way.  And that's fine - the show has been so good over the years at giving viewers a lot of cheftestants who make appealing food and who seem to be good personalities.  Folks online will often point to the Colorado season as when Top Chef fully shifted into embracing decent people making good food instead of trying for some drama to liven things up.  No matter when that trend started, it is something I also welcomed.  I like when the focus is the food, and I like when seemingly good people succeed.

Joe Flamm was one such personality.  Oh, his food was good, from what we saw.  We'd even eaten at the restaurant he was at, Spiaggia (now closed), although a handful of years or more before we knew anything about Flamm.  He was a regular kind of guy from the south side of Chicago, friendly with the cast, causing no drama, not being all "bro" about things.  He got along, and he got through.  Until he didn't.  Out he went on a challenge - a quickfire, if I recall correctly - and it felt like a shock.  Nonetheless, he battled back through the Last Chance Kitchen route and into the competition again.  He won the finale, and it was a win warmly received by the viewership, I think.  We certainly felt he was deserving.

He has shown up a few times in a guest/judge capacity on the show, his regular guy self and droll humour juxtaposed against a sharp knowledge of food and cookery and empathy for the contestants.  Always welcome on the television.  He left Spiaggia, or perhaps it closed first, and opened his own restaurant in Chicago, Rose Mary, an homage to his Italian and Croatian heritage.  From what I read on Reddit, it was a great place, highly recommended.  When Conrad and I decided to skip the Monday night gala at conference, I remembered Flamm and his restaurant and booked a dinner for two there.

We hopped the green line for the second of three days in a row up to the Morgan stop and strolled the block to the restaurant.  Situated on a corner in Fulton Market, it is bright inside, open and airy.  We asked if we could be seated at the bar instead of a table, and the hostess cheerily obliged.  We found ourselves down at the window end of the bar, sitting where we could watch the whole bar and see the kitchen as well.  

Conrad opted for a Last Word, and I had the Blind Rhubarber. 

Excellent choice, and I might have wanted another, but we decided on wine with dinner.  We asked the bartender for his advice, and he suggested a bottle of a Bulgarian red would be nice with our food. 

He was right.  He was a terrific bartender, taking good care of us both in terms of drinks and advice on food and chatting a moment when he was able to.  And he had a treat or two for us to come.

First up:  tuna crudo. 

This was a smart variation on vitello tonnato, a classic Italian dish of veal and tuna.  I know, sounds awful, that combo.  This took slices of tuna and sat them on a veal aioli.  Smart rethinking of the dish.  Oh, and crispy capers?  Yes, please!

Next out:  zucchini fritters. 

We saw these head to a lot of tables, and understandably so.  The pesto aioli for dipping was an excellent complement, too.

For our main, the bone-in lamb saddle. 

The lamb was terrific, and I liked the surprise of the roasted carrots being a puree (I'm stealing that idea).  Conrad was surprised by and enjoyed the pistachios, which had been cooked (steamed? boiled?) to make them tender.  At this point came the first surprise from the bartender:  a complimentary serving of the grilled summer squash dish. 

Isn't that gorgeous?  The basil was such a good, fragrant touch.  We were delighted. 

We ordered the povitica for dessert,

and I asked for the bartender's choice of an amaro duo. 

While we waited for those, the second surprise came out:  Chef Flamm himself.  I hope I wasn't too much of a fanboy.  He talked with us for a few minutes, and it was easy conversation.  Sometimes what you see on television is what you get:  a good guy with a regular and relatable personality, making his guests feel welcome.  He agreed to a photo with us,

wished us a good evening, and headed back to his kitchen.  We were left a little giddy and starstruck.

Dessert came - I'm a sucker for flavours like rhubarb and cardamom - and we devoured it happily.  I sipped the amari, savouring them both.  It was a nice evening when we left, so we decided on taking the train back and then popping into the Marriott Marquis to have a last nightcap with ALA friends.

Rose Mary is one of those places where I want to try everything on the menu.  Whenever I told locals that we were going there, they ooo-ed over it.  I can see why.  If I lived nearby, I'd want to be a regular at that bar, enjoying the different dishes and having excellent drinks.  Meeting Joe Flamm was a huge bonus, but I was already very very persuaded that it is a great restaurant.  I'll go back, and I'll recommend it to folks quite happily.

spring break vacation, Day 1

8 days ago Conrad and I headed to Burbank Airport.  Oh yes, I am digging into the blogging of the spring break trip to New England.  Day by day - there's a lot of ground to cover!

Day one was easy.  Burbank to Denver, and that was it.  We had wanted to get to Providence in time for dinner with friends, and to do that, we needed to break the outbound trip in two.  That meant we could leave from Burbank, though, which is always preferable.  Such an easy airport.  And hey, first ones on the plane!

Rather than head into the city (and, sadly, we no longer have Courtney and Robert there)(and Laurie and Marc were busy with family visiting), once we got to the airport in Denver,

we picked up our luggage and headed to the adjoining Westin Hotel.  I love the looks of the hotel.  So cool.  Every time I have been to or through Denver, I admire the design.  And now was my chance to stay.

We had a regular room,

and rather than a view of the tented terminal we looked down on the train station for the metro coming in to the airport. 

That was fine.  The room was for one night, and we had an early Sunday morning flight.  We dropped off bags then headed down to the lobby bar for a cocktail

(appropriately enough, an Aviation for me). 

That refreshed us.  We then headed to the ground floor plaza to wander, take photos of the installations on each side,

get a few steps in.

Dinner that night was at Grill & Vine at the hotel.  Conrad taught the bartender how to make Last Words,

and we sipped them whilst enjoying a shared tuna tartare (pictured)

and genuinely super burgers (not pictured).  Bellies a little too full, it was upstairs with us and on to bed.  That 3:45 wake up was going to come far far too soon....

Hawaii, day three

Hawaii, day the third.  I woke up and abandoned Marie to head out for a walk. 

Oh, so dramatic.  She was awake early, but she was disinclined to walk, so I set out on my own, past the convention center

and over to go along at least part of the Ala Wai Canal

before ducking more into Waikiki. 

Look, a rooster!

It promised to be another good and easy day.  Marie and I ended up at Liliha Bakery in Macy's for a breakfast, which - you guessed it - involved Spam. 

I joke about having Spam every day whilst in Hawaii, but this was the last of it I had.  Sadly.

From there, it was over to the Outrigger Canoe Club. 

Some beach time,

a close-ish encounter with an endangered monk seal

(signage helped to cordon off an area around it), mai tais

and poke

(each were a good price, neither was all that great), then back to the beach for a while

before finally getting in the water.  I know I was snoring at one point in those beach chairs, and I swear I read at least a few pages of my book.  Just easy and relaxing time for us both.

For dinner that night I booked us at Stage Restaurant in the design center. 

I'd been there once with Conrad, and my dim memories of it were fond.  Not so much now, perhaps.  Oh, not bad, but it wasn't the dinner I wanted, we wanted.  Just getting into the building was a weird adventure of walking up a drive into the building parking, and that in itself wasn't easy to find.  The restaurant was strangely quiet.  This was dinnertime on a Friday, and the whole time we were there, there was only one other table (a large one, celebrating a birthday or something) in the dining room and maybe four in the wine bar.  I always get nervous about places that have no customers, wondering what everyone else knows that I don't.

In any case, Marie and I

had a prime table, front a center in the windows overlooking the intersection. 

We sat in a, hmmm, bench?  Couch?  Not sure, but side by side.  The table was raised up to us, but because of where we sat in relation, I felt I was always hunching forward to get to my food and drink.  The service started out strongly, but at a certain point, we didn't see the original server any longer.  The martini was fine,

the wine flight was fine,

the amuse was good (though the bread was too large). 

I liked the dessert, which featured elderflower. 

I think the Caesar salad variation that Marie and I shared was the best dish, and that's not faint praise. 

It really was good.  My pork belly was fine. 

Marie's fish was overcooked, but she said nothing and soldiered through.  It was a goodly amount of food and drink, and I appreciated the bit of a walk back to the hotel.  But it wasn't a great meal, just some parts that we liked.  Odd.

To bed not long after that.  Another day of relaxation and such beckoned....