St. Regis Monarch Resort....Stepford Tested, Husband Approved

So The Husband had a work social event last week in Dana Point/Laguna ...aka...where 75% of the gays retreat to during the summer holiday weekends such as the 4th of July!

When you drive up you are greeted by nearly two story gates that even Julius Caesar would envy, you proceed down the driveway, gently passing the St. Regis Residences...yes, I said residences...I am sure with a healthy checkbook you too could live here!

When you reach the valet a very cordial woman will greet you at your car and will direct you as to which line you will drive up to based on the make of your car example, BMW, Mercedes, Range Rover, Porsche etc.  I am sure they have a self park section in case this intimidates you.

Next the valet will help you with you luggage if you so desire...then, you walk into an amazing 20' tall lobby with a 5' tall massive floral arrangement on top of a gorgeous stone table...watch out for the tufted stools their amazing ceiling fresco's will distract you and I would hate for you to trip over these!!!

After your check in I would take the offer from your Butler to direct you to your room as you will get lost.  This place has three pools, multiple ballrooms, six ocean-view five star restaurants, the award winning Spa Gaucin, and an amazing Golf Course!

Once in your Room, you will flip out!  It doesn't matter what room you get in this hotel...you will have an amazing view from your private balcony...personally I would get more of a courtyard suite...since we live  on the beach it can be quite windy...by getting a courtyard suite you can avoid some of the evening chill that comes with the ocean.

Overall, The Husband and I have stayed in a lot of hotels, I would say that this is the nicest, the second nicest would be The London in West Hollywood. So I highly recommend that you make your way down to beautiful Dana Point to the St. Regis Monarch Resort ASAP!

Watch Your Drink,

The Stepford Husband

 

Pumpkin Soup Recipe

My mother a couple of weeks ago asked if I had a recipe for Pumpkin Soup, I unfortunately didn't but I hit Google and soon found some...I have yet to make it but I thought I would share my find with you and let you be my guinea pigs!  That and I doubt The Husband would like it...

With Thanks Giving a mere four days away I thought that this would be an excellent recipe it is low cost and I am sure very creamy and delicious.

Makes 9 Servings

Ingredients:
6 Cups Chicken Stock
1 1/2 Tsp Salt
4 Cups Pumpkin Puree, or 2 15 oz Cans Pure Pumpkin
1 Tsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 Cup Chopped Onion
1/2 Tsp Chopped Fresh Thyme
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
5 Whole Black Peppercorns

Directions


1. Heat Stock, Salt, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.
2. Puree the soup in small batches (1 cup at a time) using a food processor or blender.
    PLEASE NOTE:  I believe you could skip this step if you are using canned pumpkin.
3. Return to pan, bring to boil again.  Reduce Heat to low, simmer for another 30 minutes, uncovered. Stir in heavy Cream. Pour into soup bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

NOTE: If you are watching your waistline you can substitute the 1/2 cup heavy cream with 1/2 cup Fat Free Milk and add about 1 Tbsp Flour or cornstarch...by doing this you can achieve the same creamy and thickened texture that you would with the heavy cream.  You might also be able to make this into a more hearty meal by adding two cubed chicken breasts.

This recipe can be found on Allrecipes.com my tips and tricks cannot but the original can be found by clicking here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pumpkin-soup/

Watch Your Drink,

The Stepford Husband

Fine Dining and Dukes

OMG if you ever wanted to learn Italian start with the menu at North Beach Restaurant, which I believe is one of the best Italian restaurants I have ever eaten at.

It is supper easy to google...you can either do Italian Restaurant North Beach, but to be honest it's name is very easy to remember, one of my other favorite things is that it has valet...now granted you may not find that shocking but in San Francisco it is a bitch and a half to park and an even bigger bitch to find a place with valet.

Beyond their Fabulous Parking and through their rustic style glass doors you find our host...there are usually three older men hanging out here.  Now if they ask you if you would like to sit at a table on the main floor or in the wine cellar...Take the Wine Cellar. In a round about way it is so easy to see yourself as Tony Soprano arranging for someone to get wacked while your down here...this is also where they cure their Prosciutt.

If you going to put something in your mouth you better start with their amazing homemade Mozzarella, house cured Prosciutt, and melon. Before bread was invented I am sure a sandwich looked something like the one in the middle.  I will say that ours came sans Onion. They even grow the oregano.

It wouldn't be an authentic Italian meal if there wasn't liquor, North Beach Restaurant just happens to stock their wine cellar with their own brand; Petroni which is fitting considering this restaurant is something like 30 miles away "Wine Country".  I do believe I heard our server Joel Pierre Schweitzer said their vineyard is located in Beautiful and quaint Sonoma.  

This is good shit!

We had the house Chianti while our friend had his typical Chardonnay...it apparently is aged in a oak barrel but isn't to "Oakey" which at the end of the day doesn't matter because after two glasses he was tanked. Did I roofie him?  Nope, he's just a lightweight!

As I was browsing through the menu I was in the mood for something hearty consisting of meat which can be found under the Della Terra section, I briefly had to pause and break out my iPhone and google the translation of a chicken dish...I didn't get that dish...but I did get the Veal Scaloppine Piccata, in fact we all did...now I know that some of you might think eating veal is bad because it's a baby cow...well shut up, it's Delicious and I like it.

As if this whole dinner couldn't be any more orgasmic, Messier Schweitzer brought us out a trio of deserts, a heavenly and delightfully light Cheesecake, a Chocolate Mouse, and Strawberries with Amaretto whip cream which is called Zabaglione....Again Orgasmic!

We finished our wine and bullshitted some more and then...Schweitzer brings out these amazing Vodka and Lemon Sorbet cocktails, ugh...perfect end to a perfect dinner.

We paid, and as we were waiting for the car an individual came up and said that he was apart of Occupy Wall Street and in England he is a Duke. He looked more like he was going to cut down a tree and build a shanty shack than a Duke...his story was retarded, and then he couldn't remember what he was the duke of.

I asked, "Isn't Occupy Wall Street below your station?" I followed that quickly up with, "Your a traitor to you Country and Your Class."

It wouldn't be an evening in San Francisco without at least one strange individual.

If you would like to create your own night at North Beach Restaurant here is their info.

North Beach Restaurant

1512 Stockton St

San Francisco, CA 94133

415.392.1700

www.northbeachrestaurant.com

Watch Your Glass,

The Stepford Husband