Eiffel Tower Restaurant

We chose an iconic location in which to have dinner tonight. We liked the fact that the Eiffel Tower Restaurant has windows overlooking the Bellagio Fountains. In addition, the restaurant is a Michelin rated venue ranking it among some of the best restaurants in the world.  Since we are staying at the Bellagio it was nice just to walk across the street to a fine dinner.

Bellagio Hotel with the fountains as viewed from across the street at the base of the Eiffel Tower.

Once inside the Eiffel Tower the cooling air from the AC felt good since it was over 100 outside on the street.  Unfortunately the cooling comes at a price as my senses were assaulted by the noisy clanging of gaming machines in the Casino and worse, my lungs and respiratory system had to deal with the smelly, smoky air which is an unfortunate prelude to a wonderful dining experience. 

Eiffel Tower Restaurant Elevator.

Once we made our way to the elevator, a hostess at a podium verified our reservation before allowing us to board the elevator for the ride to the second floor where the restaurant is located.

The Kitchen as viewed when stepping off the elevator on the second floor.

As we stepped off the elevator we had a great view of the kitchen and the food prep by a large team of very talented chefs. The Maitre D greeted us and walked us across the dining room to our front row window table. We paid an extra $40 each for window seating since we wanted the whole experience including a front row seat to the fountain show.  The fountain launches every 30 minutes in the evening. Our only disadvantage from this vantage point is we can not hear the music that accompanies the synchronized water, light and sound show. It was none the less spectacular from up here.

The restaurant dining room has a very elegant vibe with muted conversations, a quiet atmosphere with soothing French Parisian music, white tablecloths and red chairs.

Our dining table could not have been in any better of a location. Our view of the fountain show was a perfect backdrop  to an elegant dinner.

We were handed a large book containing an extensive selection of wines. A leather folio contains the menu for tonight.

For an appetizer we chose the scallop dish. These were huge and perfectly finished. The celery root vinaigrette was a perfect complement for the shell fish.

Menu snippet from the Eiffel Tower Menu listing our Scallop appetizer choice

It was a pleasure meeting the restaurant sommelier. The wine list is bewildering ranging from $75 split bottles to $3,000 a bottle.  He knew his wines, the bouquet, the dryness, color, clarity, region and everything else you would expect a good sommelier to know.  We chose a nice Estate bottled Pinot, King Estate Pinot Noir in a split bottle (one glass each). This nice wine is vinted in the Williamette Valley of Oregon.

While we enjoyed our very special night out, the fountains in the waning light of dusk continued putting on their amazing show.

For our main course we both chose Mediterrnean Sea Bass. On the side we also ordered a braised dish of wild mushrooms. This was a fabulous choice paired with the fish.  The mushrooms were fragrant and delicious. We couldn't finish them.

To finish our meal we chose to share a White Chocolate Banana Elysee which was served in an artistic creation of a white and dark chocolate pinwheel. 

As we exited the restaurant we noticed a beautiful display setup featuring the dessert we just ate, Banana Elysee.  There also was a page in the Eiffel Tower Restaurant opened to this dessert with the recipe listed and a photo with the dessert containing an engagement ring.  You can arrange for a proposal to take place tableside featuring the Bananas Elysee.

Eiffel Tower Restaurant Recipe Book

After our brief suspension of reality enjoying a lavish evening, it was back to reality as were assaulted by the sights and sounds of the Vegas Strip.

Annies Place Boulder, Utah

Annie's Place Boulder, UT

 On the other side of the mountain from Capitol Reef National Park is the town of Boulder, Utah which is 27 miles from the Grand Staircsase Escalante National Monument. Boulder is primarily a farming and ranching community with a population of 227 according to the 2020 US Census. We chose to stay here in Annie's Place BnB in the middle of an Alfalfa field.

Annie's Place

This really is farm living. A long gravel road through a field takes you to this homestead. It was orogonally the Post Office but moved to the top of the hill and refurbished both inside and out making it a very modern Bed and Breakfast.

Dining Room at Annie's

We checked in and met Lesley, the Inn Keeper.  Lesley had an interesting story to tell. She worked at a corporate job in Atlanta and wanted to get away from the rat race for a while. She spotted an online ad for an Innkeeper in Utah. She had never brrn to the state but it sounded ideal for what she was looking for. 

We found that we were the only guests staying in a very large BnB.  Our room was attractive with a little sitting area with TV and a large King bed. A set of double doors led to our own deck overlooking the countryside. This was almost like camping but with all the luxuries of home.

Double doors in our bedroom open to a private deck

We witnessed some of the Alfalfa Harvest.

Surrounding ranches are the only neighbors

As the day evolved thoughts of dinner were going to be interesting. There is nothing around here for 100 miles. We asked our host Lesley what we should do for dinner. She told us about a little restaurant at the stop sign which basically is the center of town. We asked her if it was that shack looking building that we saw on the way to the BnB. That was it!  Unbelievably, this little treasure at the crossroads is Michelin rated. Celebrities come here froom miloes away. Oprah has eaten her. It is called "Hell's Backbone Grill" and tou need a reservation which are sometimes hard to acquire.

It's not much to look at but looks are certainly deceiving. Behind these buildings which have seen better days there was a large parking lot with more cars than we saw on our entire drive here.

Once seated inside, we found the place was run by buddhists. Service was very attentive. Everytime the server filled my water glass he clasped his hands in prayer and bowed to us. This a farm to table organic restaurant. Much of the veggies and the beef are raised here on the farm or on surrounding farms

The menu was small but adequate. I chose the Bison Chile Colorado which was delicious. I wish I could make this at home.

Chihuly Garden and Glass

At the base of the Space Needle in Seattle is the Chihuly Garden and Glass.  The exhibit was built in 2012 and consists of a Garden, Glass House, Cafe and Exhibit building featuring the best glass works of Dale Chihuly.

Entrance to Chihuly Garden and Glass at the base of the Space Needle

When we first walked into the exhibition building we were greeted by a neon glass display titled "Forest". The room was dimly lit which allowed the neon to give an eerie glow and perfect introduction of what we were to see in the following rooms.

Forest (neon glow)

Next stop after the Forest is the Northwest Room which is a tribute to the Native culture of the Pacific Northwest.  Colorful native weavings hang on the whole wall at the end of the room.

A  thick long slab of polished sawmill lumber extends from the room entrance to the wall of weavings on the other side.  This piece of wood is the perfect object to represent the Northwest and is used to showcase several Chihuly forms.

A single Slab of beautiful Polished Wood runs through the center of the room used as a table for the glass work

Some of the artists early experiments with baskets and colors are in this room.

Glass Basket designs

detail of experiments with glass baskets

In the center of the next room we encounter a 15 foot tower representing the sea life in nearby Puget Sound.  The room is titled "Sealife" room and besides the centerpiece of the glass tower contains various glass representations of sea life.

Fifteen foot high tower of Puget Sound Sea Life

detail "Sea Life"

detail "Sea Life"

Pacific Bonsai Museum

On a typical Seattle morning we set out in the overcast skies and light rain to walk along the Seattle waterfront and admire the Sculpture Garden which is overseen by the Seattle Museum of Art.

From the conveniently placed walking bridge over the train tracks on a rainy Sunday morning

View from the waterfront Seattle Sculpture Garden

The walk through the garden was short but our goal was achieved.  We needed to avoid the baseball and football games which were taking place in stadiums downtown.   The price of Uber was 300% higher during the time before the games so we needed to wait a little for all the Sports Fans to get to where they were going.  Personally I thought looking at Bonsai in the rain at the Pacific Bonsai Museum was a better choice for a Sunday afternoon.  

Pacific Bonsai Museum

In 1989 Weyerhaeuser Corporation opened the Bonsai collection as a symbol of the company connecting people and it's forest resources.  In 2013 they donated the entire property and collection to a newly formed non-profit, The Pacific Bonsai Museum  The Museum has the mission of connecting people to nature through the living art of bonsai.

Located about 25 miles South of downtown Seattle, the collection is nicely nestled in a conifer woods.  As we arrived in a seemingly remote location we were unsure if we would be able to get an Uber ride back to the city.

The museum grounds were designed by the architectural firm Hoshide Wanzer and consist of an open maze of neutral walls that form effective backdrops for the plants.  Contained within the maze are a collection of 150 bonsai specimens from all over the world.

For our visit the museum was featuring a recurring theme of "Principles of Design".  Attractive posters featured design elements such as Movement, Shape, Rhythm, Form and Proportion.

Principles of Design Poster featuring "Shape"

Favorites

With 150 bonsai specimens to choose from it can be hard to find a favorite.  I found a few that appealed to me.  Of course each person has a different perspective and idea of which plant is a favorite.  In the greenhouse just before the outdoor collection is this Banyan.  The artist found this plant growing under a wall where it was beginning to damage it.  The plant was cut away from the wall but interestingly new roots began to form.  Artist Rong Yiao Xie placed a section of the tree on it's side and trained sprouts from the live roots into individual trees.

Chinese Banyan bonsai since 1985 

The following Coast Redwood by Toichi Domito has been under bonsai since 1967.  I like it because it looks like a real Redwood that should be growing in a forest of Redwoods.

Coast Redwood bonsai since 1967

Another favorite in a section of trees that suggest Movement is this Tucker Oak.  The leaves are Holly like but the species is Oak.

Tucker Oak bonsai since 1940

The landscaping surrounding the maze walls of the Bonsai garden are landscaped to reflect the bonsai specimens they contain.  An example of the beautiful complementary landscaping is here:

As we leave the garden there was this very large bonsai, over 6 feet tall, a Trident Maple.

Trident Maple